This is Joe Cleveland's third installment of our pre-Super Bowl entry. Two years ago, it was before Green Bay defeated Pittsburgh, 31-25. Last year, it was before the New York Giants defeated New England, 21-17.
Here's hoping history repeats itself with an NFC victory tomorrow night as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Baltimore Ravens (aka the Thieving Bastards; aka the Thieving Modells; aka the Ratbirds) in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.
Why does it seem like every year there is a team in the Super Bowl that most Cleveland fans dispise. Going back to the 2000 Super Bowl (won by the Ravens, 34-7, over the Giants), I can think of only threethat didn't have a serious anti-Cleveland sentiment going in -- Super Bowl XXXVIII (Tampa Bay over Oakland), Super Bowl XLI (Indianapolis over Chicago) and Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans over Indianapolis). Unless you still hate the Raiders over "Red Right 88."
The rest have been dominated by Bill Belichick's New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and now the Thieving Bastards of Baltimore. This is now three in a row where the regular Cleveland fan (like Joe Cleveland) is definitely rooting against a team because of their ties to the Browns.
For Pittsburgh, it's easy. The Steelers are the Browns' biggest rival and we don't like to see them succeed (and their front-running local fanbase to rub it in).
For New England, it's because of Belichick, the coach who, for the most part, failed here in the early 1990s but re-emerged as a "genius" with the Patriots. By the way, let the record reflect that "SpyGate" tainted thost three Super Bowl wins in four years and that, since that broke, Belichick and the Patriots have not won a Super Bowl since. They've gotten to two, but they lost both ... and to the same team in almost similar fashion.
For Baltimore, gee, where do I begin.
We can start with the fact that the Ravens shouldn't even exist. They exist only because of the selfish maneuvers of the one they called Modell, who virtually bankrupted himself as the owner of the Cleveland Browns because of poor business decisions and then wound up taking a sweetheart deal to move the franchise to Baltimore. That should be OUR team. Instead, we're left with a franchise that never seemed to fully emerge from expansion hell due to constant mismanagement from ownership on down.
While Modell is dead and hasn't had a hand in running the franchise since 2004, the spectre is still there. From the "Art" patches the Ravens wore this year dedicating the season to their fallen Judas to the Modell T-shirt Ray Lewis wears under his shoulder pads to the dedications from everyone surrounding the team for this season for him to Modell's appearance as a finalist on the Hall of Fame ballot, it's been there. He's coming back to haunt us.
Of course, Ozzie Newsome is still there sporting a purple Ravens golf shirt as their general manager. Newsome has been viewed by some Browns fans as a traitor because he rode along in the moving van when the franchise relocated to Baltimore and wound up getting a promotion. Newsome was never given the chance to be the head-honcho of the front office here in Cleveland, but when he got the chance in Baltimore, he put together a franchise that won one Super Bowl and have been, by and large, a consistant winner ever since that 2000 season.
Newsome didn't help his cause among the traitor sect when he wrote an open letter to the Plain Dealer proclaiming that Modell should get into the Hall of Fame. There were many Browns fans who felt it was disrespectful of him to appear on the "Cleveland 95: A Football Life" NFL Network special wearing a Ravens shirt. There were many more who felt that his endorsment of Public Enemy No. 1 in their own newspaper went a bit too far (Joe Cleveland agrees with both of those statements).
Joe Cleveland grew up a Browns fan during the 1980s. The Browns teams that followed the closest were the group from 1985-89 -- Bernie's Bunch -- that went to the playoffs five consecutive years and reached three AFC Championship games. I can remember Newsome winding down his Hall of Fame career as a glorified decoy during that span, running out on the field to catch some three-yard out pattern, where he'd immediately fall down, so he could keep up his reception-per-game streak.
My dad kept referring to Newsome as "Catch-And-Fall-Down," and I bought along with that. Newsome's actions this year, especially with the Modell letter, is another example of "Catch-And-Fall-Down."
If you don't hate the Ravens due to their former existance as the Browns, Ray Lewis is an easy target. Lewis, the heart-and-soul of their defense for 17 years, has been on this retirement tour all through the playoffs. If I see him cry and "praise Jesus" one more time, I think I'm gonna puke. It's been nauseating.
Of course, let's not forget that Lewis fathered six children with four different women, was involved in a double-homicide during a party at Super Bowl XXXIV (the year before his team won and he was named MVP), was indicted for murder, and pled down to obstruction of justice and testified against his friends (they were eventually acquitted). And, during Super Bowl week, Lewis was linked to performance-enhancing drugs when the owner of a company called S.W.A.T.S. claimed that he provided Lewis deer-antler spray, which contains a banned performance-enhancing supplement, to help him rehab from a torn biceps injury that normally costs players an entire season.
Yes, so many reasons for us Clevelanders to root against the Baltimore Ravens. But, how would you like some reasons to actually root FOR their opposisition, the San Francisco 49ers?
For starters, the 49ers' legacy traces back to the Browns, as both franchises were original members of the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49. When the NFL absorbed the AAFC, they only kept three of the franchises in tact -- the Browns, the 49ers and the Baltimore Colts (which folded once before coming back for good).
The 49ers have been to five Super Bowls before -- all since 1981. They've won all five. They are the only NFL franchise to be undefeated in Super Bowls that have played in two or more.
The only NFL franchise that has won more than five Super Bowls is those hated Steelers with six. A win by the 49ers not only ties them with the Steelers at six, but essentially knocks the Steelers out of their self-appointed perch as best NFL franchise of the Super Bowl era because they would have won six Super Bowls in six chances (the Steelers lost two other Super Bowls). Anything to knock those obnoxious Steeler fans out of their perch is a good thing.
The 49ers have several Ohio ties. Guard Alex Boone, defensive back Donte Whitner and wide receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. are all not only former Ohio State Buckeyes, but are all native Clevelanders. All three will impact the game in some fashion -- while Ginn doesn't start at receiver, he is the Niners' regular kickoff and punt returner. Root for them to win.
While the 49ers coach is a Michigan grad (Jim Harbaugh), you can't deny the job he's done since taking over this franchise two years ago after a stellar college coaching career at San Diego and Stanford. Last year, the Niners reached the NFC Championship Game and were two muffed punts away from beating the Giants. This year, despite a few red zone turnovers, they rallied from a 17-0 deficit to knock off the host Atlanta Falcons, 28-24.
Two years ago, when the Browns were searching for a head coach to replace Eric Mangini, I spoke against the possibility of Harbaugh taking over, citing my long bias against coaches making the jump straight from college. I was wrong (as it is, Harbaugh was never even interviewed for the Browns' position that went to Pat Shurmur. Nice hire, Mike Holmgren).
Harbaugh was a tough-nosed gritty NFL quarterback for 14 years, primarily with the Chicago Bears but most notably for the Indianapolis Colts. Harbaugh never reached a Super Bowl, coming one dropped Hail Mary pass away from getting there in 1995 (the Steelers won that AFC Championship Game over the Colts). And, he started 12 games for the Ravens in 1998, before they were any good when they were still feeling the residual effects of the move from Cleveland. After he retired, he spent time as an assistant coach with the Raiders before becoming a head coach at the collegiate level.
Jim Harbaugh seems to have "it," when it comes to head coaching. There are a few guys that had "it." Bill Cowher comes to mind, as does Bill Parcells. The last coach that seemed to have "it" that coached the Browns was Marty Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer never reached a Super Bowl after several collossal playoff collapses with the Browns, Chiefs and Chargers. But, he won everywhere he went.
Harbaugh is an easy guy to root for, even though he is a bit brash and can rub some the wrong way.
The 49ers are the ultimate redemption story as a franchise. The glory days of Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott disappeared in the mid-1990s when owner Eddie DeBartalo Jr. (a Youngstown native) gave up control of the franchise following a riverboat gambling scandal. His sister and brother-in-law, John and Denise York, ran the franchise into the ground with several shaky head coach hires (Dennis Erickson, Mike Singletary, Mike Nolan) and player acquistions. They've redeemed themselves with some nice draft choices over the past few years and the Harbaugh hire, which was the glue that put it all together.
Root for the 49ers because of the Cleveland guys on the roster. Root for them to give the Steelers a run for their money. Root for them because they are playing the Thieving Modells of Baltimore. Root for them because they share a lineage with the Cleveland Browns.
Joe Cleveland grew up with the San Francisco 49ers as his "second-favorite" team, mostly because of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. They've become my second-favorite team this season, and definitely tomorrow night.
***
While the heart is rooting for the 49ers, the head says that the 49ers are the favorites for a reason.
San Francisco's defense was the second-best in the NFL this season. Linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVarro Bowman are bonafide stars, and second-year linebacker Aldon Smith has become a phenomenal pass rushing specialist. Former Bengal Justin Smith has become a standout defensive lineman for the Niners.
Offensively, Harbaugh raised eyebrows when he stuck with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick over established starter Alex Smith. However, the move paid off. Kaepernick has emerged as a bonafide dual threat quarterback, easily capable of beating you with his legs as well as his arm (as Atlanta found out). His running threat has helped open things up for running backs Frank Gore and LaMichael James, and former first-round receiver Michael Crabtree has shaken off that bust label with his best NFL season. Randy Moss is long in the tooth and his best days are behind him, but his presence has helped the receivers. And, their offensive line was graded as the best in the NFL this season.
Baltimore has seemed to luck its way into this Super Bowl. The team struggled at times during the regular season, winning an AFC North Division that, quite frankly, wasn't as strong as it's been in years past. The emotional return of Lewis to the lineup seemed to give the Ravens a bit of a lift, but that double-overtime win over the Broncos was arguably the luckiest win of this postseason for any NFL team. They became the first team to beat a Tom Brady-quarterbacked team in the playoffs after his team led at halftime, mostly because the Patriots' defense forgot to come out of the locker room and couldn't stop anybody.
Nobody would have predicted Baltimore to be in this Super Bowl, and yet here they are. They seem to have the "destiny" thing going for them. But, as we've seen in the past, destiny can only go so far.
Many experts are picking the Ravens to win, mostly based off of that destiny factor. Not me.
The head sticks with the heart on this one.
49ers 28, Ravens 24.
***
If Baltimore wins this Super Bowl, with Modell getting the Hall of Fame nod the day before, Joe Cleveland will chalk up 2013 as a terrible year -- and it hasn't even really started yet.
It would be MISERABLE!
Obviously, the best thing that could happen is that Modell gets denied the Hall of Fame berth (and deservedly so) and the Ravens lose the Super Bowl. But, let's not get too greedy.
If I had to pick one of these scenarios -- Modell becoming a Hall of Famer or Baltimore winning the Super Bowl -- I'd pick the Super Bowl. The Modell thing would hurt just a little too much. My weekend would be ruined if Modell got in, and the Ravens losing the Super Bowl would be justice, in my opinion, but wouldn't totally take the sting out of it.
Here's hoping and praying that both scenarios don't come to fruition. But if fate says I can only choose one, I choose Modell being denied the Hall of Fame berth, easily and by far, 100 times out of 100.
If he does get in, you better believe Joe Cleveland will show up to that induction ceremony, just to make sure that moment is forever ruined. Hopefully, I don't have to do that.
***
Lastly, here's some Super Bowl-related trivia to astound your family and friends or bar patrons at your Super Bowl parties.
<> There have been two quarterbacks to reach the Super Bowl with two different franchises (Craig Morton, Dallas and Denver; Kurt Warner, St. Louis and Arizona). Ironically, both suffered losses, although Warner did win his first Super Bowl appearance. For Morton, ironcially, his second Super Bowl loss came against his former team. For Warner, ironically, his third appearance came for a franchise that once called St. Louis home (the Cardinals).
<> There have been five former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks to start in the Super Bowl, but only one of them started AFTER he left Cleveland. That quarterback is Hall of Famer Len Dawson, who started Super Bowls I and IV with the Kansas City Chiefs (winning SB4) after playing one season for the Browns. The other four are Jim McMahon (Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX), Mark Rypien (Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXVI), Trent Dilfer (Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl XXXV) and Jake Delhomme (Super Bowl XXXVII). McMahon, Rypien and Dilfer were victorious in their lone Super Bowl appearances. Rypien played for the Browns in 1994, while McMahon played for the Browns in 1995 (both as backups to Vinny Testaverde). Dilfer was the Browns' starting quarterback in 2005, while Delhomme was the Browns' starting quarterback in 2010.
<> Only one time in Super Bowl history has a player from the losing team won the Most Valuable Player Award. That was Super Bowl V, where Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley got the top individual honor despite the Cowboys losing to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13.
<> In the first 10 years after the AFL merger (1970-80), only two former AFL franchises won the Super Bowl -- the Miami Dolphins (VII and VIII) and the Oakland Raiders (XI and XV). In fact, only four former AFL franchises have won the Super Bowl since the merger through now -- the Denver Broncos (XXXII and XXXIII) and the New England Patriots (XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXIX) join the Dolphins and Raiders (who also won the Super Bowl as the Los Angeles Raiders in SB XVIII). That fact won't change after this year's game.
<> A Baltimore franchise has won two Super Bowls -- Super Bowl V (Colts) and Super Bowl XXXV (Ravens). Baltimore is officially 2-1 in Super Bowls.
<> There have been five relocated franchises that have won the Super Bowl in their new location (including the Ravens). But the first of those relocated franchises may surprise you. The answer -- the Kansas City Chiefs (Super Bowl IV). They were originally known as the Dallas Texans. Ironically, the Texans are one of just two NFL/AFL franchises who won a championship in one town and defended in their new town. The other answer -- the Cleveland Rams (1945), who moved to Los Angeles in 1946.
<> The other relocated franchises are the Los Angeles Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, the Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts. All have only won one Super Bowl apiece in their new cities.
<> Kurt Warner owns the top three passing yardage performances in Super Bowl history (414 in SB 34, 377 in SB 43, 365 in SB 36).
<> The longest pass thrown in Super Bowl history was an 85-yard touchdown pass. The quarterback -- Jake Delhomme.
<> The best Super Bowl single-game rushing performance is still held by the obscure Timmy Smith, who gained 204 yards for the victorious Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII.
<> John Elway has the most career interceptions thrown in Super Bowl history (8 in five appearances).
<> The most receptions in a Super Bowl game has been done four different times. It is 11 catches, and it is shared by Cincinnati tight end Dan Ross, San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice and New England receivers Deion Branch and Wes Welker. Rice and Branch's performances not only came in victories, but also resulted in MVP honors.
<> Who is the most decorated Super Bowl athlete of all time? Try Jerry Rice. Rice holds the record for most career receptions (33), yards (589), total yards (604) and touchdowns (8, both receiving and overall), along with single-game marks for receptions (11), yards (215), total yards (220) and touchdowns (3 on 2 different occasions; both receiving and overall).
<> Tom Brady has the most career Super Bowl passes completed (128), attempted (198) and yards (1,284), but his nine career TD passes are second behind Joe Montana's 11. Montana did his in one less Super Bowl, by the way. Brady's career rating of 96.02 is ranked eighth all-time.
<> The Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the most Super Bowls with eight appearance apiece. Ironically, they have played each other three different times, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 advantage.
<> Besides the 49ers and the four teams that have won the only Super Bowl they've ever appeared in, the highest winning percentage in Super Bowl history is .800 -- NOT HELD BY PITTSBURGH. Both Green Bay and the New York Giants have identical 4-1 records.
<> The 49ers and Ravens matchup is, ironically, the only time in Super Bowl history that neither team has ever suffered a Super Bowl loss coming in with at least one appearance under their belts.
<> There have been four teams that have made multiple Super Bowl appearances without getting a win. They are the Buffalo Bills (0-4), Minnesota Vikings (0-4), Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (0-2).
<> The Ravens are one of four teams that are 1-0 in Super Bowls. The other three are the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
<> Besides the four franchises who have never appeared in the Super Bowl, the Jets have the longest Super Bowl appearance drought. Their last (and only) appearance -- Super Bowl III at the conclusion of the 1968 season.
<> And, the four NFL franchises who have never qualified for a Super Bowl -- the Detriot Lions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans and ... wait for it ... our own Cleveland Browns.
Someday soon, my friends, someday soon that streak will be over. And not for the Lions, smartasses!
Happy Super Bowl Sunday, and Go 49ers!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Showing posts with label Baltimore Ravens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baltimore Ravens. Show all posts
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Case against Art "Judas" Modell Redux
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This blog entry originally was written and posted back on Jan. 9, 2011. It was my fourth-ever Joe Cleveland blog entry, and it has been one of my most read and commented on pieces. Due to the circumstances with Art Modell's candidacy with the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, I felt it was time to not only repost this, but also give it a bit of an update. So, here goes. Hope this shows how unworthy Modell is of a Hall of Fame bust.)
Among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which will be voted on next weekend and revealed the day before the Super Bowl, was former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell.
Joe Cleveland was not happy to see that Modell made the final cut. It's only the second time that Modell has been a finalist. However, with his death back in September, I'm not necessarily surprised his name is on this list.
It amazes me every year that a guy like Modell can continue to garner interest in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only once has Modell become a finalist. Thanks to the efforts of former Plain Dealer Browns writer Tony Grossi, he was passed over. But, it seems like he's always on the preliminary list for Hall of Fame consideration, and it baffles a guy like Joe Cleveland.
What exactly did Modell do that was so noteworthy? Everything I can think of was pretty negative.
First and foremost, he moved a franchise with one of the deepest NFL traditions with a rabid fanbase to a different location. The man moved the Browns to Baltimore because he was broke. Why was he broke? Because he was (and is) a poor businessman, plain and simple. People can blame the City of Cleveland for not building the Browns a new stadium when Jacobs Field and Gund Arena were built, but the fact is, Modell voluntarily took over control of Stadium Corp. from the City of Cleveland and had an iron-clad lease.
Plus, he turned down the opportunity to get in on the Gateway project, focusing on trying to remodel and refurbish his current stadium, until he saw the "palaces" being built for the Indians and the Cavs, and all the revenue it generated, along with the sweet leases their team's owners got for moving into those new facilities. Also, it didn't dawn on him until later that his biggest tenant, the Indians, would be leaving his stadium, and right when they were on the cusp of becoming a winner.
Modell mishandled the situation with Cleveland from the rip, to the point that he painted himself in a corner and felt that he had "no choice" but to move to Baltimore.
He's probably the only NFL owner to continually be in the red every single year. I could take over an NFL team and make money without even trying. Modell continually was broke. Why? He can only blame himself. Only a guy Modell could go broke by only paying $1 a year to the City of Cleveland to rent his stadium.
Moving the Browns is a bad enough sin on its own and should immediatly strike down any conversation about the man being an NFL "immortal." He's an immortal jackass, but not an immortal.
But, wait, there's more.
Secondly, he fired one of the greatest coaches in football history in Paul Brown. You don't fire a guy like Paul Brown!
Paul Brown revolutionized the game of football. He changed the way people coach the game and the way people play the game. He invented the screen pass, the draw play, the messenger guard system that paved the way for those helmet-to-helmet devices all QBs have (by the way, he invented that, too. Look it up. He put a speaker in QB George Ratterman's helmet in 1956 during a preseason game, but unfortunately, the signal kept picking up the police and cab radios so it was scrapped), coaches calling plays, scripting plays, the passing game, you name it. The man was ahead of his time, and that was why his Browns won NFL championships seven times in his first 10 years and lost in the championship game the three other times. He even got back to the NFL Championship game (1957) after a mediocre 1956 season thanks to his drafting of the great Jim Brown, but lost.
Then in 1961, Modell bought the team and decided to stick his nose into things. Brown didn't like that. Brown had supposedly lost the ear of his team, and, after a decent 1962 season, Modell fired him. Sure, the Browns recovered to win the 1964 title under Blanton Collier, but they haven't won a title since.
Modell believed that the 1964 title "vindicated" him. All it really did was prove that another guy would win with the team that Paul Brown assembled.
Collier kept the Browns' ship afloat with winning seasons from 1965-69. The Browns reached three other NFL Championship games during that span, but lost them all (and lost them all in convincing fashion). The last two of those games (1968 and 69) would have put them in Super Bowls III and IV, respectively, had they won.
Prior to the 1966 season, the great Jim Brown was off in London filming the movie "The Dirty Dozen." Filming was delayed, and Brown was needed in London while the Browns were in training camp in July and August. Modell decided that Brown needed to focus on football and not on movies, and decided to fine him $1,000 for every day that he didn't show up. When news of the fine got back to Brown, he called an impromptu press conference and announced his retirement from football, effective immediately.
Yes, Art Modell FORCED Jim Brown to retire from football in his prime. While Leroy Kelly became a Hall of Fame running back in Brown's absence, you could only imagine how Brown's presence in the backfield for either of those two NFL Championship games he missed may have helped change the outcome of those games. Perhaps the Browns don't lose in the playoffs in 1966 or 1967 if Brown was lined up in the backfield.
We'll never know because Modell decided to stick his nose into business he shouldn't have, and Jim Brown called his bluff.
Modell stubbornly refused to hire a legitimate personnel man. Whenever he did (George Hadhazy, Ernie Accorsi), the team would see immediate success. However, Modell continued overstep his bounds and wound up running these guys out of town.
Hadhazy was the architect of the 1980 "Kardiac Kids" season. He was run out of town by Modell after that season. The team subsequently slumped to 5-11 in 1981 and only made the playoffs one other time between 1981-84.
Accorsi, who was already a well-respected NFL personnel man from his days with the Baltimore Colts, was the genius behind the trade to get Bernie Kosar in the 1985 supplemental draft. Accorsi was the architect behind the Browns roster that reached the playoffs five consecutive years from 1985-89 and reached three AFC Championship games in that span. But, Modell allowed two new hires -- head coach Bill Belichick and front office person Michael Lombardi -- to push Accorsi out the door. Accorsi wound up being the architect of the New York Giants team that won the Super Bowl in 2007.
Modell, on the eve of the 1970 season, traded his Hall of Fame receiver, Paul Warfield, for the third-overall draft pick, Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps. Phipps was God-awful; Warfield went on to become a champion with the Miami Dolphins. Coincidentally, the Browns (after some decent seasons in the early 1970s) spiraled into mediocrity until a guy named Brian Sipe and a coach named Sam Rutigliano came along with a season for the ages in 1980, which only ended in heartbreak.
Modell's players constantly held out for more money because Modell had underpaid them, or broken his word on contracts. Holdouts by Frank Minnifield and Webster Slaughter helped derail the Browns' playoff successes of the late 80s as the 1990s came aboard.
Modell hired Belichick, but it was before Belichick was truly ready to become a head coach. He passed on Bill Cowher, who wound up leading the rival Steelers to immediate success. Belichick, meanwhile, alienated most of the team's fanbase with questionable in-game decisions, questionable personnel decisions and a notable feud with popular Bernie Kosar that wound up leading to Kosar's PR-disaster mid-season release in 1993.
It can also be added to Modell's "legacy" that he FIRED Belichick in February of 1996, shortly after the ink dried on the deal to move the franchise to Baltimore. Belichick wound up becoming the modern-day version of Vince Lombardi when he resussicated his coaching career with the New England Patriots. So yes, Modell fired both Paul Brown and Bill Belichick, two of the best NFL head coaches in the modern era.
If it's moves like that that make you Hall of Fame worthy, that's pretty darn scary.
Modell decided he wanted to make a big spash in free agency, so he borrowed a ton of money to sign Andre Rison. Rison was a poor fit with Belichick's team and rubbed fans the wrong way with his Diva attitude. Meanwhile, Modell couldn't pay off his loans. It was a prominant reason why Modell, as he famously said, "had no choice" but to move the team.
A modern-day NFL owner shouldn't have to borrow A DIME to sign a free agent. And yet, this is what Art Modell had to do to sign Rison. The sad part is, Modell screwed himself in the deal. After announcing the deal and bringing Rison in for the press conference, his agent discovered the Browns failed to sign some paperwork. Knowing he had Modell over a barrel, he demanded more money or else he and his client would walk away, embarassing the organization.
This is the type of businessman Art Modell was and always was.
Heck, he even tried to move his team in the 1970s ... to STRONGSVILLE! Modell purchased a plot of land that he threatned to build a new stadium on if Cleveland didn't cow-tow to his demands. In the end, it proved to be a giant bluff, and both parties came to (what they believed to be) and equally beneficial agreement on a future lease. Modell wound up taking over Cleveland Municipal Stadium for the small fee of $1 per year and was in charge of all the revenue coming in. However, he was also in charge of all the maintenance and upkeep. Nobody's fault but Modell's, who failed to see the forest for the trees.
I could go on. Modell ran off Marty Schottenheimer (his most successful coach besides Collier) by sticking his nose into football business. Modell ran off Forrest Gregg, who wound up taking the Bengals to the Super Bowl (something that was sure to stick in Modell's craw, since Paul Brown founded and ran the Bengals). Modell hung on to Sam Rutigliano too long, and his decision to move the team helped derail any momentum the football team had gained by qualifying for the playoffs in 1994 under Belichick.
And, let's not forget the shabby condition his stadium was in. It constantly needed work, and the playing surface was also terrible. It was HIS stadium because of HIS decision to take over Stadium Corp. from the city. He probably thought that controlling the stadium revenue would help him make money. He was wrong.
Now, let's dissect what people believe Modell did right.
A myth is that Modell helped create Monday Night Football. Roone Aldridge of ABC Sports created Monday Night Football. All Modell did was volunteer his team and his stadium to host the very first installment. Modell was on the committee, but it wasn't his decision or his brainchild. He wasn't against the idea, but so were other people. A Hall of Famer is not created because he "agreed" with a decision to start a Monday Night game and then lobbied for his team to host it.
Also, let the record reflect that it was Modell's decision, despite that first Monday Night Football game drew a record 85,000 fans to Cleveland Stadium, to BLACK OUT the game from local television. Modell also blacked out the 1964 NFL Championship win over the Colts, despite the game being a sellout. A man of the people who "cared" about the people of Cleveland, that's for sure.
Another myth is that Modell helped smooth over the AFL-NFL merger by volunteering the Browns to join the AFL teams in the new AFC. Modell had stubbornly rebuffed any chances to jump ship during a highly-contentious negotiation session between the two leagues but finally changed his mind along with his good friend, Art Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Modell's motives was that he felt that his Browns (which had recently won an NFL championship, mind you, and had reached back-to-back NFL Championship games in the late 1960s) would come over to the "weaker" AFC and dominate.
Unfortunately, his good friend Rooney, who jointly with Modell decided to take his Steelers to the AFC, would be the one to dominate in the 1970s after many, many years of moribund play. Also, the Colts (who were the other team to jump to the AFC) qualified for the first true NFL Super Bowl in 1970 and won. It was Modell's idea, but the others who joined him reaped the rewards while Modell ran his team into the toilet.
From 1970-1995, Modell's Browns went 194-195-3. They reached the playoffs only 10 times during that span (8 times from 1980-95) and only won four total playoff games in those 10 appearances. By the way, did I mention how many championships the Browns won during that span? That would be ZERO!
Modell helped introduce revenue sharing to the league (debatable) and helped negotiate lucritive TV deals for the league (true, but only until 1990). He was on the television committee for a lot of his early years in the league, and during that time, the NFL became the country's "national pastime" thanks to TV, to the point where the market is saturated with NFL coverage and programming.
However, the caveat with this is that NONE of that expansion happened while Modell was the head of the TV committee. In fact, he was against the billion-dollar deal Jerry Jones negotiated with the upstart FOX network and voted against it. In turn, his fellow owners removed him from the committee. With visionaries like Jones running the show, the NFL's marriage with TV exploded, to the point to where networks are paying billions of dollars for the right to broadcast the games and games are now on five different networks (two cable) and playing in prime-time three nights a week.
But, in reality, that's something that helped his fellow owners get rich and didn't really pay any true dividend to the fans, other than an oversaturation of the market. You shouldn't take a spot in a Pro Football Hall of Fame from a deserving player because you helped make your fellow owners rich because of some TV deals. That's just ridiculous.
All the Baltimore love going toward Modell is downright nauseating. I wonder if they'd still be singing his praises if they realized how instrumental Modell was in the early 1990s expansion vote that went against Baltimore and benefitted Jacksonville, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. Modell, after telling Baltimore folks that he would be their ally in the negotiating room, went back on his word by saying what a horrible market it was and that the NFL would be better off exploring these different markets. Fact is, Modell had his eye on the Baltimore market all to himself back then. It was a totally greedy and selfish maneuver. Then again, those of us who lived through his Browns' ownership aren't surprised.
The myth that Modell voluntarily gave up the Browns' name, colors and lineage to move to Baltimore is also asinine. The NFL FORCED Modell to do this because of the threat of lawsuits and injunctions filed by the City of Cleveland and Browns season ticket holders. The entire move itself was a giant black-eye for the league, especially when Modell was such a huge critic of guys like Al Davis and Bob Irsay, who moved their franchises to different towns. He angered a lot of his fellow owners by going back on his word and moving his team when he always so outspoken against franchise relocation in the NFL.
A new nickname and uniforms would have cost Modell money, and the money Baltimore paid him to move had just helped him break even. He didn't want to spend any more than he had to. which included consultants for the nickname, color scheme, logo, mascot and uniform design. A "Name the Team" contest also cost him and his staff a lot of man hours to sift through the ideas. Besides, you think he wanted to voluntarily give up the one thing he paid for back in 1961, which was the BROWNS franchise and lineage?
The NFL forced Modell to do this as a compromise to placate Cleveland (while also promising a new franchise would begin play there in three years, something the NFL never did and hasn't done since). Modell was also forced to play money to Cleveland and their season ticket holders, buying out his silent partners Bob Gries and Al Lerner, along with paying some of his fellow owners to allow him to move. In the end, he would up right back where he started -- broke, and teetering with being out of football.
The Baltimore media and fans who, with their blinders on, believe that Modell did this out of the kindness of his heart need to lay off the Kool-Aid. This is how they legitmize the fact that, while their own franchise (the Colts) was stolen out of town by Bob Irsay, they turned around and did the exact same thing, stealing another town's franchise right out from under them. This is how those folks sleep at night while still cursing the corpse that is Bob Irsay.
I'll tell you what, Baltimore -- We'll get over what Modell did to us when you get over what Irsay did to you. That starts when you guys acknowledge the fact that they are the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS and not just "Indianapolis" on your scoreboards.
Go ahead, I'll wait. Perhaps if you guys were a better fanbase, your team would still be called "Colts" instead of "Ravens."
In the end, Modell wound up selling his team (something he stubbornly refused to do in Cleveland) to a billioniare named Steve Bisciotti. With Bisciotti as his partner, the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000 (giving Modell his long-awaited Lombardi Trophy) while also turning most of the football operations over to Ozzie Newsome. Three years later, Bisciotti bought out Modell, leaving him a 1 percent interest in the team that was by and large an honorary thing until the day he died.
The fact that Modell did this allows him to be continually revered in Baltimore. Had he not done so and perhaps sold to an out-of-town interest (who might have moved the team), he'd be roasted over the spigot down there as he is up here. Just be glad, Baltimore, that you were spared the horror that would have been David Modell, Team Owner.
Modell begged and borrowed his way into the NFL when he bought the Browns (mostly with loans and with only $250,000 of his own money) and continued to run his team into debt (on TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS) until he finally found a billionaire to buy him out. He actually had a billionaire who wanted to buy him out in Cleveland in Al Lerner, but Modell refused. Ironcially, the Lerner family wound up owning the Browns, while Modell's family does not even own an NFL team anymore. And, that's what he gets.
He was a poor businessman before, during and after his tenure with Cleveland and into his tenure with Baltimore. For that, he does not deserve to be rewarded with a bust among such great legendary players and other contributors to the NFL. He deserved what he wound up getting -- to die, alone, as a martyr, and that's all he deserved.
If Modell ever sneaks his slimy way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even posthumously, Joe Cleveland will NEVER, EVER step foot into that building in Canton again. And, I'm sure I'm not alone in that thinking around these parts. I will be there for that induction ceremony. And, it won't be pleasent.
Here's hoping the Hall of Fame voters can overlook the sympathy factor and realize there is a lot more to Arthur Bertrum Modell than his shady maneuver to move the Browns from Cleveland to Baltimore. In fact, the more you dig deep about the guy, the more you realize just how terrible and un-Hall of Fame worthy he really and truly is.
But, that's just my opinion. Differ if you like, but remember ...
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which will be voted on next weekend and revealed the day before the Super Bowl, was former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell.
Joe Cleveland was not happy to see that Modell made the final cut. It's only the second time that Modell has been a finalist. However, with his death back in September, I'm not necessarily surprised his name is on this list.
It amazes me every year that a guy like Modell can continue to garner interest in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only once has Modell become a finalist. Thanks to the efforts of former Plain Dealer Browns writer Tony Grossi, he was passed over. But, it seems like he's always on the preliminary list for Hall of Fame consideration, and it baffles a guy like Joe Cleveland.
What exactly did Modell do that was so noteworthy? Everything I can think of was pretty negative.
First and foremost, he moved a franchise with one of the deepest NFL traditions with a rabid fanbase to a different location. The man moved the Browns to Baltimore because he was broke. Why was he broke? Because he was (and is) a poor businessman, plain and simple. People can blame the City of Cleveland for not building the Browns a new stadium when Jacobs Field and Gund Arena were built, but the fact is, Modell voluntarily took over control of Stadium Corp. from the City of Cleveland and had an iron-clad lease.
Plus, he turned down the opportunity to get in on the Gateway project, focusing on trying to remodel and refurbish his current stadium, until he saw the "palaces" being built for the Indians and the Cavs, and all the revenue it generated, along with the sweet leases their team's owners got for moving into those new facilities. Also, it didn't dawn on him until later that his biggest tenant, the Indians, would be leaving his stadium, and right when they were on the cusp of becoming a winner.
Modell mishandled the situation with Cleveland from the rip, to the point that he painted himself in a corner and felt that he had "no choice" but to move to Baltimore.
He's probably the only NFL owner to continually be in the red every single year. I could take over an NFL team and make money without even trying. Modell continually was broke. Why? He can only blame himself. Only a guy Modell could go broke by only paying $1 a year to the City of Cleveland to rent his stadium.
Moving the Browns is a bad enough sin on its own and should immediatly strike down any conversation about the man being an NFL "immortal." He's an immortal jackass, but not an immortal.
But, wait, there's more.
Secondly, he fired one of the greatest coaches in football history in Paul Brown. You don't fire a guy like Paul Brown!
Paul Brown revolutionized the game of football. He changed the way people coach the game and the way people play the game. He invented the screen pass, the draw play, the messenger guard system that paved the way for those helmet-to-helmet devices all QBs have (by the way, he invented that, too. Look it up. He put a speaker in QB George Ratterman's helmet in 1956 during a preseason game, but unfortunately, the signal kept picking up the police and cab radios so it was scrapped), coaches calling plays, scripting plays, the passing game, you name it. The man was ahead of his time, and that was why his Browns won NFL championships seven times in his first 10 years and lost in the championship game the three other times. He even got back to the NFL Championship game (1957) after a mediocre 1956 season thanks to his drafting of the great Jim Brown, but lost.
Then in 1961, Modell bought the team and decided to stick his nose into things. Brown didn't like that. Brown had supposedly lost the ear of his team, and, after a decent 1962 season, Modell fired him. Sure, the Browns recovered to win the 1964 title under Blanton Collier, but they haven't won a title since.
Modell believed that the 1964 title "vindicated" him. All it really did was prove that another guy would win with the team that Paul Brown assembled.
Collier kept the Browns' ship afloat with winning seasons from 1965-69. The Browns reached three other NFL Championship games during that span, but lost them all (and lost them all in convincing fashion). The last two of those games (1968 and 69) would have put them in Super Bowls III and IV, respectively, had they won.
Prior to the 1966 season, the great Jim Brown was off in London filming the movie "The Dirty Dozen." Filming was delayed, and Brown was needed in London while the Browns were in training camp in July and August. Modell decided that Brown needed to focus on football and not on movies, and decided to fine him $1,000 for every day that he didn't show up. When news of the fine got back to Brown, he called an impromptu press conference and announced his retirement from football, effective immediately.
Yes, Art Modell FORCED Jim Brown to retire from football in his prime. While Leroy Kelly became a Hall of Fame running back in Brown's absence, you could only imagine how Brown's presence in the backfield for either of those two NFL Championship games he missed may have helped change the outcome of those games. Perhaps the Browns don't lose in the playoffs in 1966 or 1967 if Brown was lined up in the backfield.
We'll never know because Modell decided to stick his nose into business he shouldn't have, and Jim Brown called his bluff.
Modell stubbornly refused to hire a legitimate personnel man. Whenever he did (George Hadhazy, Ernie Accorsi), the team would see immediate success. However, Modell continued overstep his bounds and wound up running these guys out of town.
Hadhazy was the architect of the 1980 "Kardiac Kids" season. He was run out of town by Modell after that season. The team subsequently slumped to 5-11 in 1981 and only made the playoffs one other time between 1981-84.
Accorsi, who was already a well-respected NFL personnel man from his days with the Baltimore Colts, was the genius behind the trade to get Bernie Kosar in the 1985 supplemental draft. Accorsi was the architect behind the Browns roster that reached the playoffs five consecutive years from 1985-89 and reached three AFC Championship games in that span. But, Modell allowed two new hires -- head coach Bill Belichick and front office person Michael Lombardi -- to push Accorsi out the door. Accorsi wound up being the architect of the New York Giants team that won the Super Bowl in 2007.
Modell, on the eve of the 1970 season, traded his Hall of Fame receiver, Paul Warfield, for the third-overall draft pick, Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps. Phipps was God-awful; Warfield went on to become a champion with the Miami Dolphins. Coincidentally, the Browns (after some decent seasons in the early 1970s) spiraled into mediocrity until a guy named Brian Sipe and a coach named Sam Rutigliano came along with a season for the ages in 1980, which only ended in heartbreak.
Modell's players constantly held out for more money because Modell had underpaid them, or broken his word on contracts. Holdouts by Frank Minnifield and Webster Slaughter helped derail the Browns' playoff successes of the late 80s as the 1990s came aboard.
Modell hired Belichick, but it was before Belichick was truly ready to become a head coach. He passed on Bill Cowher, who wound up leading the rival Steelers to immediate success. Belichick, meanwhile, alienated most of the team's fanbase with questionable in-game decisions, questionable personnel decisions and a notable feud with popular Bernie Kosar that wound up leading to Kosar's PR-disaster mid-season release in 1993.
It can also be added to Modell's "legacy" that he FIRED Belichick in February of 1996, shortly after the ink dried on the deal to move the franchise to Baltimore. Belichick wound up becoming the modern-day version of Vince Lombardi when he resussicated his coaching career with the New England Patriots. So yes, Modell fired both Paul Brown and Bill Belichick, two of the best NFL head coaches in the modern era.
If it's moves like that that make you Hall of Fame worthy, that's pretty darn scary.
Modell decided he wanted to make a big spash in free agency, so he borrowed a ton of money to sign Andre Rison. Rison was a poor fit with Belichick's team and rubbed fans the wrong way with his Diva attitude. Meanwhile, Modell couldn't pay off his loans. It was a prominant reason why Modell, as he famously said, "had no choice" but to move the team.
A modern-day NFL owner shouldn't have to borrow A DIME to sign a free agent. And yet, this is what Art Modell had to do to sign Rison. The sad part is, Modell screwed himself in the deal. After announcing the deal and bringing Rison in for the press conference, his agent discovered the Browns failed to sign some paperwork. Knowing he had Modell over a barrel, he demanded more money or else he and his client would walk away, embarassing the organization.
This is the type of businessman Art Modell was and always was.
Heck, he even tried to move his team in the 1970s ... to STRONGSVILLE! Modell purchased a plot of land that he threatned to build a new stadium on if Cleveland didn't cow-tow to his demands. In the end, it proved to be a giant bluff, and both parties came to (what they believed to be) and equally beneficial agreement on a future lease. Modell wound up taking over Cleveland Municipal Stadium for the small fee of $1 per year and was in charge of all the revenue coming in. However, he was also in charge of all the maintenance and upkeep. Nobody's fault but Modell's, who failed to see the forest for the trees.
I could go on. Modell ran off Marty Schottenheimer (his most successful coach besides Collier) by sticking his nose into football business. Modell ran off Forrest Gregg, who wound up taking the Bengals to the Super Bowl (something that was sure to stick in Modell's craw, since Paul Brown founded and ran the Bengals). Modell hung on to Sam Rutigliano too long, and his decision to move the team helped derail any momentum the football team had gained by qualifying for the playoffs in 1994 under Belichick.
And, let's not forget the shabby condition his stadium was in. It constantly needed work, and the playing surface was also terrible. It was HIS stadium because of HIS decision to take over Stadium Corp. from the city. He probably thought that controlling the stadium revenue would help him make money. He was wrong.
Now, let's dissect what people believe Modell did right.
A myth is that Modell helped create Monday Night Football. Roone Aldridge of ABC Sports created Monday Night Football. All Modell did was volunteer his team and his stadium to host the very first installment. Modell was on the committee, but it wasn't his decision or his brainchild. He wasn't against the idea, but so were other people. A Hall of Famer is not created because he "agreed" with a decision to start a Monday Night game and then lobbied for his team to host it.
Also, let the record reflect that it was Modell's decision, despite that first Monday Night Football game drew a record 85,000 fans to Cleveland Stadium, to BLACK OUT the game from local television. Modell also blacked out the 1964 NFL Championship win over the Colts, despite the game being a sellout. A man of the people who "cared" about the people of Cleveland, that's for sure.
Another myth is that Modell helped smooth over the AFL-NFL merger by volunteering the Browns to join the AFL teams in the new AFC. Modell had stubbornly rebuffed any chances to jump ship during a highly-contentious negotiation session between the two leagues but finally changed his mind along with his good friend, Art Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Modell's motives was that he felt that his Browns (which had recently won an NFL championship, mind you, and had reached back-to-back NFL Championship games in the late 1960s) would come over to the "weaker" AFC and dominate.
Unfortunately, his good friend Rooney, who jointly with Modell decided to take his Steelers to the AFC, would be the one to dominate in the 1970s after many, many years of moribund play. Also, the Colts (who were the other team to jump to the AFC) qualified for the first true NFL Super Bowl in 1970 and won. It was Modell's idea, but the others who joined him reaped the rewards while Modell ran his team into the toilet.
From 1970-1995, Modell's Browns went 194-195-3. They reached the playoffs only 10 times during that span (8 times from 1980-95) and only won four total playoff games in those 10 appearances. By the way, did I mention how many championships the Browns won during that span? That would be ZERO!
Modell helped introduce revenue sharing to the league (debatable) and helped negotiate lucritive TV deals for the league (true, but only until 1990). He was on the television committee for a lot of his early years in the league, and during that time, the NFL became the country's "national pastime" thanks to TV, to the point where the market is saturated with NFL coverage and programming.
However, the caveat with this is that NONE of that expansion happened while Modell was the head of the TV committee. In fact, he was against the billion-dollar deal Jerry Jones negotiated with the upstart FOX network and voted against it. In turn, his fellow owners removed him from the committee. With visionaries like Jones running the show, the NFL's marriage with TV exploded, to the point to where networks are paying billions of dollars for the right to broadcast the games and games are now on five different networks (two cable) and playing in prime-time three nights a week.
But, in reality, that's something that helped his fellow owners get rich and didn't really pay any true dividend to the fans, other than an oversaturation of the market. You shouldn't take a spot in a Pro Football Hall of Fame from a deserving player because you helped make your fellow owners rich because of some TV deals. That's just ridiculous.
All the Baltimore love going toward Modell is downright nauseating. I wonder if they'd still be singing his praises if they realized how instrumental Modell was in the early 1990s expansion vote that went against Baltimore and benefitted Jacksonville, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. Modell, after telling Baltimore folks that he would be their ally in the negotiating room, went back on his word by saying what a horrible market it was and that the NFL would be better off exploring these different markets. Fact is, Modell had his eye on the Baltimore market all to himself back then. It was a totally greedy and selfish maneuver. Then again, those of us who lived through his Browns' ownership aren't surprised.
The myth that Modell voluntarily gave up the Browns' name, colors and lineage to move to Baltimore is also asinine. The NFL FORCED Modell to do this because of the threat of lawsuits and injunctions filed by the City of Cleveland and Browns season ticket holders. The entire move itself was a giant black-eye for the league, especially when Modell was such a huge critic of guys like Al Davis and Bob Irsay, who moved their franchises to different towns. He angered a lot of his fellow owners by going back on his word and moving his team when he always so outspoken against franchise relocation in the NFL.
A new nickname and uniforms would have cost Modell money, and the money Baltimore paid him to move had just helped him break even. He didn't want to spend any more than he had to. which included consultants for the nickname, color scheme, logo, mascot and uniform design. A "Name the Team" contest also cost him and his staff a lot of man hours to sift through the ideas. Besides, you think he wanted to voluntarily give up the one thing he paid for back in 1961, which was the BROWNS franchise and lineage?
The NFL forced Modell to do this as a compromise to placate Cleveland (while also promising a new franchise would begin play there in three years, something the NFL never did and hasn't done since). Modell was also forced to play money to Cleveland and their season ticket holders, buying out his silent partners Bob Gries and Al Lerner, along with paying some of his fellow owners to allow him to move. In the end, he would up right back where he started -- broke, and teetering with being out of football.
The Baltimore media and fans who, with their blinders on, believe that Modell did this out of the kindness of his heart need to lay off the Kool-Aid. This is how they legitmize the fact that, while their own franchise (the Colts) was stolen out of town by Bob Irsay, they turned around and did the exact same thing, stealing another town's franchise right out from under them. This is how those folks sleep at night while still cursing the corpse that is Bob Irsay.
I'll tell you what, Baltimore -- We'll get over what Modell did to us when you get over what Irsay did to you. That starts when you guys acknowledge the fact that they are the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS and not just "Indianapolis" on your scoreboards.
Go ahead, I'll wait. Perhaps if you guys were a better fanbase, your team would still be called "Colts" instead of "Ravens."
In the end, Modell wound up selling his team (something he stubbornly refused to do in Cleveland) to a billioniare named Steve Bisciotti. With Bisciotti as his partner, the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000 (giving Modell his long-awaited Lombardi Trophy) while also turning most of the football operations over to Ozzie Newsome. Three years later, Bisciotti bought out Modell, leaving him a 1 percent interest in the team that was by and large an honorary thing until the day he died.
The fact that Modell did this allows him to be continually revered in Baltimore. Had he not done so and perhaps sold to an out-of-town interest (who might have moved the team), he'd be roasted over the spigot down there as he is up here. Just be glad, Baltimore, that you were spared the horror that would have been David Modell, Team Owner.
Modell begged and borrowed his way into the NFL when he bought the Browns (mostly with loans and with only $250,000 of his own money) and continued to run his team into debt (on TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS) until he finally found a billionaire to buy him out. He actually had a billionaire who wanted to buy him out in Cleveland in Al Lerner, but Modell refused. Ironcially, the Lerner family wound up owning the Browns, while Modell's family does not even own an NFL team anymore. And, that's what he gets.
He was a poor businessman before, during and after his tenure with Cleveland and into his tenure with Baltimore. For that, he does not deserve to be rewarded with a bust among such great legendary players and other contributors to the NFL. He deserved what he wound up getting -- to die, alone, as a martyr, and that's all he deserved.
If Modell ever sneaks his slimy way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even posthumously, Joe Cleveland will NEVER, EVER step foot into that building in Canton again. And, I'm sure I'm not alone in that thinking around these parts. I will be there for that induction ceremony. And, it won't be pleasent.
Here's hoping the Hall of Fame voters can overlook the sympathy factor and realize there is a lot more to Arthur Bertrum Modell than his shady maneuver to move the Browns from Cleveland to Baltimore. In fact, the more you dig deep about the guy, the more you realize just how terrible and un-Hall of Fame worthy he really and truly is.
But, that's just my opinion. Differ if you like, but remember ...
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
'I had no choice'
"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure." -- Mark Twain
Today, Joe Cleveland read the obituaries on one Arthur B. Modell with great pleasure. This will also be the last time I ever write or say his name. He is dead in more ways than one.
In one of my early blogs, I state the case as to why this man, the former owner of the Cleveland Browns who tore the heart and soul out of this region by cold-heartedly moving this franchise to Baltimore, should NEVER be elected to the Hall of Fame. That link is below:
http://joeclevelandblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/case-against-art-judas-modell.html
Unlike others, especially the Cleveland haters and history revisionists who work for that certain four-letter network, I will not try to give this man any more credit than he is due.
Sometimes, in death, folks tend to look at the bright side of people and point out the things they did right. Joe Cleveland, on the other hand, will call a spade a spade.
You want to see something gushy about the man I've referred to as "Judas," go to ESPN.com or the Baltimore Sun. If you want to read someone tell it like it is, you've come to the right place.
I've always said to my closest family and friends that the day Judas dies will be a day of great celebration in my house. But, I've got to say, when I woke up and and read all of the text messages I received from people, and then clicked on Facebook, I felt an odd sense of calm.
Did I celebrate? A little. But did my eyes tear up for some reason? They did.
They weren't tears of sadness directed at that man. Oh no, that man will never hurt me again. But, it brought me back to 1995.
What should have been one of the best years in a Cleveland sports fan's life -- thanks to the Cleveland Indians going 100-44 and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1954 -- was ruined in one fell swoop by a guy who owned the Cleveland Browns and four fateful words he uttered in a Baltimore parking lot on Nov. 6.
"I had no choice."
Bullcrap, Joe Cleveland says. You did have a choice. You had a choice to sell the team. You had a choice to try to negotiate further with the City of Cleveland. You had a choice to get in on the Gateway project when Cleveland came up with it. And, you had a choice to betray millions of people by making a sneaky underhanded deal with the people of Baltimore, Maryland.
You chose wrong, sir. YOU CHOSE WRONG!
I remember listening to the radio in the kitchen of my parents' house on Dec. 17, 1995. Two days later, I would turn 22 years old. But there was no celebrating on that day.
I listened as the Cleveland Browns, playing for nothing but pride, had one of their best all-around games of the season, beating the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-10. I listened as Earnest Byner, the man behind The Fumble, rushed for 131 yards in his final game in front of the best fans in the NFL at the old Pandemonium Palace.
I listened as Casey Coleman described some fans taking hacksaws to their seats. Some throwing them over the fences and onto the playing surface.
I listened, with my late mother, as Coleman described the impromptu gathering of the Cleveland Browns, wearing those orange helmets, brown jerseys and white pants, in the Dawg Pound, hugging fans and thanking them for their 50 years of support.
At that moment, we both hugged and cried.
"It's over, mom," I sobbed. "I can't believe it's over."
My heart, and the hearts of millions, were truly broken that day. That pain that I shared with my mom, and the pain I shared with my friends who were Browns fans, were the result of one man and his selfish, prideful reasons to move an NFL institution to a city that couldn't even keep their team over 10 years prior to that.
My eyes got misty because of that memory, and the fact that now, finally, after 17 years of frustration and hate for one man, I can finally put it to rest.
I look at the reincarnation of the Cleveland Browns, who have, by and large, sucked for the 13 years they've been back. I look at the fortunes of the franchise that he moved to Baltimore, which was rechristened the Ravens, and watch in disgust as they won a Super Bowl and have become a perennial powerhouse in the AFC (despite never getting back to the big game since the 2000 season).
Did we, as Cleveland fans, deserve this cruel twist of fate? No, we certainly did not. That man is to blame.
Joe Cleveland was among millions of you who called the NFL over and over to let them know that this atrocity would not stand. We flooded and crashed their switchboards. We made our voices heard. We filed class-action lawsuits against that man and what he was trying to do.
In the end, we forced the NFL to make Cleveland a promise (of course, we had to promise a new stadium would be built, which it was) -- a promise of a new football team in three years that would bear the proud name of "Cleveland Browns," complete with the Seal Brown and Burnt Orange colors and those orange helmets and that proud legacy of Paul Brown, Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Lou Groza, Brian Sipe, Bernie Kosar, Paul Warfield, Marion Motley, etc., etc.
Baltimore didn't get that, even though that man tried to bring it there. He tried to say later that he "willingly left the history behind," and the four-letter network tries to support that view, but that's a bunch of baloney.
I'm sure someone has a Baltimore Browns T-shirt or jacket somewhere. I know the team took ads out in Maryland papers selling tickets to the Baltimore Browns before NFL made them stop.
Thank God, they didn't get that from us.
I think, now, the spectre of The Move is away from the Browns franchise. I only wish the Browns would have gotten their act together sooner and won a championship while he was still alive. But, it wasn't meant to be.
Now that he's dead, the Baltimore Ravens are just another franchise, another rival to the Browns. That link to Cleveland has been severed.
Browns fans will never forget about The Move or the impact it had on them personally and professionally. Joe Cleveland will never forget.
However, will it be easier to digest now that the man is gone? I would like to think so.
You can hate and despise someone for a long time, but I celebrate the death because I don't have to hate and despise him anymore. The worms and maggots can take care of that for us. I don't have to be reminded of The Move anymore.
The man was close to bankruptcy because of shoddy business deals and poor decisions. He was a meddlesome owner who ran off the best coach in NFL history in Paul Brown and ran off any other coach that came to town besides Blanton Collier. Blanton Collier won him an NFL championship. Actually, he won CLEVELAND an NFL championship, but that man found vindication in that.
That man was viewed as a "carpetbagger" upon his arrival in 1961, and he never forgot it. He never put the best interests off Cleveland first. He put his own interests first, and that betrayed him.
I listened as a talking head on that four-letter network tried to justify the move to Baltimore as a "sound business decision," and I wanted to reach through my computer screen and punch that guy in the mouth. Really?
If it was so "sound," then why did he have to tuck tail and sell his beloved franchise less than three years after he moved them?
If it was so "sound," why was he consistently hemmoraging money?
If it was so "sound," why is Steve Bisciotti the owner of the Baltimore Ravens and not David Modell?
If it was so "sound," why are they not named the "Baltimore Browns?"
"Sound," my ass!
That man had a billionaire partner in Cleveland in Al Lerner who would have purchased the team from him and kept it in Cleveland. I believe that, inevitably, a new stadium would have been built to replace the decrepit Cleveland Stadium. I believe that, had he done that and holding a minority interest in the team, that man would have had a bust in Canton 15 years ago.
Instead, Lerner paid $530 million to buy the expansion Cleveland Browns, while that man spent himself back into the poor house because of all the money he had to pay. He had to pay the NFL and his fellow owners. He had to pay the City of Cleveland. He had to pay Lerner and Bill Gries to buy their shares of the team. He had to pay focus groups to come up with a new nickname and colors for his team and then had to pay for the trademarks.
I believe that, had he simply sold to Lerner in 1995, on Sunday in the Browns' season opener, they would have dedicated a moment of silence, and Browns fans would have obliged.
Instead, he never stepped foot in this town again after high-tailing it to Baltimore under the threat of death. And, his death led to several moments of glee.
A group of Browns fans gathered in front of Cleveland Browns Stadium Thursday morning and popped some champagne and drank a toast to the man's death. Good for them! Joe Cleveland wishes he could have joined them.
That leads me to my next request -- please, for the love of God, do not try to force the fine Browns fans to adhere to a moment of silence for that man.
I'm sure the four-letter network is gleefully hoping the NFL and the Browns attempt this, so they can air the sound of thousands of fans booing, or cheering, or flipping the bird, or whatever else they're going to do instead of bowing the heads in silence, and then deride us for our so-called "lack of class."
Did Baltimore adhere to a moment of silence when Robert Irsay died? I don't think so. They still roast the guy in effigy, and he's been dead for years. And, they got a team back and won a Super Bowl!
So, why should we have to? It's just another reason for that four-letter network to rub Cleveland's noses in crap and paint us all with an unfair brush.
Why should we have to turn the other cheek? Should Brooklyn fans do the same for Walter O'Malley when he moved the Dodgers to Los Angeles? That happened back in the 1950s, and there are STILL people in Brooklyn angry that it happened.
If Robert Kraft decided to move the Patriots out of New England, you don't think that four-letter network would start a campaign to bring them back? Do you think they would dedicate hours of programming to him if he died, had he done that? Do you think they would force the fans of Boston and New England to have a moment of silence for him, and if they did, do you think they would crucify the fans for booing?
I highly doubt it. But, we're Cleveland, the nation's punch line, the backward-ass losers.
That network found a clip of two fans burning LeBron James' jersey and turned into an entire region of jersey-burners. They found one fan throwing a battery somewhere in the vicinity of James as he sat on the bench during the fourth quarter of the Heat's first game in Cleveland and turned it into 20,000 battery-throwers.
The four-letter network tells Cleveland to "get over it" when it comes to LeQuit. But, are they saying that to the fans of Orlando after the ringer Dwight Howard just put them through? I haven't heard them do it.
And, I'm sure the moment a Cleveland teams wins a championship -- and it will happen -- they will attempt to deride it by airing clips of all the Cleveland sports failures leading up to it, and then proclaiming that it was a fluke and that it won't happen again.
This is why I hope that Mike Holmgren and Randy Lerner and Jimmy Haslam or whoever politely decline to air any tribute to him. Cleveland doesn't need another black-eye, and you're going to have half the stadium doing anything but being silent if it happens.
It's bad enough that they are putting a decal on their helmets all season long. But, I can live with that.
Let the fans of Baltimore sing songs and try to give him the tribute he doesn't deserve, but will get anyway.
My tribute to him is in the above paragraphs and in the blog I wrote one year ago.
May you burn in Hell, Art Modell!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Ramblin on ...
Alright ramblers, let's get ramblin ...
Joe Cleveland has some takes to spew out on a few different things going on in the world of Cleveland sports. So, instead of doing a bunch of different blogs, he's only going to do one (if I got paid by the blog, I'd probably put ones with two sentances in it every hour on the hour).
So, here goes:
<> Fausto Carmona is not who is says he is, and he's not as young as he says he is. Gee, what a surprise, a Dominican player who lied about their age to get into the country? What's really surprising is the whole alias thing.
"Fausto Carmona" is apparently really known as Roberto Hernandez Heredia. He was picked up by the Dominican government and charged with identity theft, or something like that. Apparenlty, there really is a Fausto Carmona, and the real Fausto was getting paid by the fake "Fausto" to use his name. When he stopped getting paid, the story goes, Fausto decided to out "Fausto."
It might be a while before "Fausto" comes back to America and pitches for the Tribe. That sigh of relief you heard was from fans not wanting to watch him get torched anymore and lose double-digit ball games each season.
Yes, it's happened to a lot of different teams (Leo Nunez is not who he says he is, either). Heck, it's happened to the Indians in past when Bartolo Colon was revealed to being two years older than he already was in 2002 (he was traded a few months later). But, it's yet another black mark on the Indians and the Dolan-Shapiro-Antonetti leadership chain.
The Indians, who could very easily void the contract because, after all, it's with a player who technically doesn't exist. However, they seem to be holding out hope that he comes back and pitches? Have they not been watching him pitch every year since 2007? He's not a 28-year-old with upside anymore. He's a 31-year-old clearly on the downside of his career.
In typical Tribe fashion, they replaced a loser with another loser, trading for a pitcher who was winless last season and has a last name that doesn't necessarily inspire confidence from a pitching standpoint -- Kevin Slowey. How bad will this rotation be if "Fausto" Hernandez Heredia gets cleared to play -- Slowey, NL-loss leader and over-the-hill guy Derek Lowe AND "Fausto?"
Tribe Fever, got to catch it!
<> Joe Cleveland has a Twitter account, as does the person behind "Joe Cleveland." However, neither of us rarely use Twitter. I think Tony Grossi showed us why it's best to avoid the latest social media fad.
Grossi was one the longest-standing Browns beat reporters in town with the lone Cleveland paper in town. That gives him a lot of clout and a lot of respectability nationally. When the national folks want to confirm something that's going on with the Browns, they'll tend to look to Grossi. When a Cleveland representative is needed to vote on the Hall of Fame, Grossi was the logical choice.
Yesterday, Grossi was removed from the Browns beat for what they're terming an "inadvertant Tweet" concerning Browns owner Randy Lerner.
You see, Lerner -- who rarely meets with the media and prefers a hands-off approach to running his team, unlike the guy in town before him who decided to bolt to land of crabcakes -- decided to give an interview with the Browns' flagship radio station, WTAM 1100-AM, and it's popular afternoon host, Mike Trivisonno.
During Lerner's interview, Grossi sent out a Tweet that was supposed to go to just one of his followers that said, “He is a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world.” Instead, it went out to all of his followers in Twitter-ville.
Oops.
Grossi and the Plain Dealer apologized about the Tweet the next day, but Grossi remained pretty quiet. His last story, the game story from the AFC Championship game between the Ravens and the Patriots, had a very heavy Ravens slant to it (surprising, considering Grossi has led the charge against keeping a certain Judas owner out of the Hall of Fame ... although, then again, Grossi and Bill Belichick butted heads a lot during Belichick's tenure as Browns coach before the big move).
The Tweet basically confirmed what fans who have been reading his stuff had long believed -- Grossi had a bias against the Browns. He and Modell didn't get along because of some snafu that involved mislabeling Modell's not returning a call to comment into a flat-out no-comment on some story (and cost him the beat for a little while). Grossi had problems with Al Lerner, with Policy, with Butch Davis, with Phil Savage, you name it.
Grossi immediately pounced on Eric Mangini upon his hiring, supposedly saying in front of the entire media that Mangini "wasn't gonna get away with the same shit here that he did in New York." You could tell from the rip that Grossi was trying to get Mangini run out of town.
For whatever reason, Grossi didn't hit it off with Mike Holmgren, either. Holmgren's infamous "you're either with us or against us" quote was in response to Grossi, supposedly.
Grossi was snarky to readers who asked him questions in his "Hey Tony" mailbag. Grossi kept harping on the draft-day trade that allowed the Falcons to draft Julio Jones, even after Jones kept getting injured and dropping passes at inopportune times.
Fans were tired of him. And, a lot of them rejoiced at the news.
As a sportswriter, I respect Tony Grossi for what he brought to the table. I'm very happy he's kept Modell out of the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. However, the bias was apparent to even the most non-partisan fan out there. It got really old.
There's doing your job, and then there's going above and beyond to show that you're the top dog in this town, and if you're not with him, you're against him.
Hopefully, there will be more objective and fair Browns reporting in the future.
<> Reports have suddenly surfaced (coincidentally, as the Cavs were about to have their first matchup with the Heat) that LeBron isn't happy in Miami -- gee, what a surprise -- and would look to opt out of his contract after three seasons in South Beach.
And, supposedly, if he were to do so, his No. 1 choice to sign with would be ... wait for it ... the Cleveland Cavaliers.
ARE YOU (BLEEPING) SERIOUS?????
It's obvious to me that his LRMR team are probably leaking this info to their confidants in the media. The LRMR team are all from the Akron area and are a giant mess. They are essentially responsible for the debacle that was "The Decision" and turning LeQuitter into one of the most hated players in today's NBA.
The word is LeQuit is not happy that he's become a social pariah in his home region. I guess growing up here didn't clue him in to how Cleveland fans respond when one of their players quits on them and stabs them in the back. Cleveland fans root for the name in the front of the jersey, not the name in the back. Even if that player was a superstar while they were here, the moment that person leaves is the moment that person becomes Public Enemy No. 1.
LeQuitter must have not paid attention to when Carlos Boozer did the same thing on a lesser scale and was reviled every single time he touched the ball during any game here. How about when Brian Grant, who played at Xavier, turned down a chance to play for Cleveland and forced a three-way tride to Miami, and Grant was suddenly always booed here.
How about Albert Belle and how Cleveland fans showered him with Monopoly money the first time he played at The Jake as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Belle didn't help himself by continually flipping off the fans on the Home Run Porch all night and cursing at them.
Perhaps, now that LeQuit is setting down with his Baby Mama after she left Miami and decided to go back to Akron, he wants to come back home and be loved again. If he doesn't win a championship this season with the Heat, you can bet the vultures will be circling around that carcass.
I don't think Dan Gilbert would bring him back. It would be his turn to tell LeBron to shove it after LeBron went on ESPN and essentially told Gilbert the same thing. Even if it meant more money and a chance to light a fire with a young nucleus of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and whoever the Cavs land in this year's draft.
And, how will the fans react? The fans gave Jim Thome a standing ovation when he returned to the Indians. However, that was about 8 years after he signed with the Phillies in the first place. Eight years is a long time, a long time for bygones to be bygones.
LeBron would only be gone three or four years if he decides to leave South Beach and take his talents back to the North Coast. The question is, would the North Coast allow it?
Joe Cleveland says, I hope to hell not. Let him stay out.
<> We can now say "Rest in Peace" to any chance the Indians had of winning the AL Central Division for the forseeable future, after Prince Fielder signed with his father Cecil's team, the Tigers, for nine years after our old friend Victor Martinez was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
The one saving grace for the Tribe is that MLB will be taking two Wild Card teams in the future. But, with Boston and the Yankees (and even Tampa Bay) emerging every year as a top team, will one of those berths even be out there for the Tribe to take?
Joe Cleveland's been very critical of the Indians' brain trust, especially Larry Dolan, for their inability to "keep up with the Jonses." Yes, MLB isn't set up to promote parity like the NFL is. Yes, there is no salary cap, which allows billioniares in big markets to spend to their hearts content.
However, this is the ocean that the Dolans choose to swim in. Once upon a time, the Indians were one of the winningest organizations in the Major Leagues, playing to a packed house every single night for 455 consecutive nights. That time was only 10-15 years ago.
If the ocean is becoming too deep, it's time for the Dolans to call for the life preserver to take them to shore. In other words, it's time for them to cash out and leave professional sports ownership to true businessmen capable of spending money to better the product, promote the product to the masses and show they are truly committed to winning.
The Dolans are not that description at all, and fans know it. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on a team that's not committed to winning. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on an atmosphere that, quite frankly, isn't very entertaining. Fans don't like being accused of being part of the perceived "problem" with decreasing payroll, which both Dolans and Shapiro have done over the course of a few seasons.
Another set of Dolans are running the New York Knicks into the ground as we speak. Two once proud franchises owned by people in the same family. One meddles too much and throws his money at the wrong things. The other overspent for his team and can't afford to spend any more money.
Either way, they both need to be put out to pasture ... and I hate the Knicks.
<> Finally, Joe Cleveland was so ecstatic to see the Thieving Bastards get there cumuppance last weekend with Billy Cundiff's missed chip-shot field goal that would have sent the AFC Championship game into overtime and Lee Evans' dropped TD pass that would have given them the win.
If ever a team and a fan base deserved to be shown how it felt to live thorugh The Drive and The Fumble, it's those crabcake-eating, Modell-apologizing theiving bastards, the Baltimorans ... with the exception of the Steelers.
The Steelers got theirs from Tebow. The Ravens got theirs probably even worse.
Both are at home watching the Super Bowl, just like Joe Cleveland is. And, Joe Cleveland is perfectly fine with that ... for now.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Joe Cleveland has some takes to spew out on a few different things going on in the world of Cleveland sports. So, instead of doing a bunch of different blogs, he's only going to do one (if I got paid by the blog, I'd probably put ones with two sentances in it every hour on the hour).
So, here goes:
<> Fausto Carmona is not who is says he is, and he's not as young as he says he is. Gee, what a surprise, a Dominican player who lied about their age to get into the country? What's really surprising is the whole alias thing.
"Fausto Carmona" is apparently really known as Roberto Hernandez Heredia. He was picked up by the Dominican government and charged with identity theft, or something like that. Apparenlty, there really is a Fausto Carmona, and the real Fausto was getting paid by the fake "Fausto" to use his name. When he stopped getting paid, the story goes, Fausto decided to out "Fausto."
It might be a while before "Fausto" comes back to America and pitches for the Tribe. That sigh of relief you heard was from fans not wanting to watch him get torched anymore and lose double-digit ball games each season.
Yes, it's happened to a lot of different teams (Leo Nunez is not who he says he is, either). Heck, it's happened to the Indians in past when Bartolo Colon was revealed to being two years older than he already was in 2002 (he was traded a few months later). But, it's yet another black mark on the Indians and the Dolan-Shapiro-Antonetti leadership chain.
The Indians, who could very easily void the contract because, after all, it's with a player who technically doesn't exist. However, they seem to be holding out hope that he comes back and pitches? Have they not been watching him pitch every year since 2007? He's not a 28-year-old with upside anymore. He's a 31-year-old clearly on the downside of his career.
In typical Tribe fashion, they replaced a loser with another loser, trading for a pitcher who was winless last season and has a last name that doesn't necessarily inspire confidence from a pitching standpoint -- Kevin Slowey. How bad will this rotation be if "Fausto" Hernandez Heredia gets cleared to play -- Slowey, NL-loss leader and over-the-hill guy Derek Lowe AND "Fausto?"
Tribe Fever, got to catch it!
<> Joe Cleveland has a Twitter account, as does the person behind "Joe Cleveland." However, neither of us rarely use Twitter. I think Tony Grossi showed us why it's best to avoid the latest social media fad.
Grossi was one the longest-standing Browns beat reporters in town with the lone Cleveland paper in town. That gives him a lot of clout and a lot of respectability nationally. When the national folks want to confirm something that's going on with the Browns, they'll tend to look to Grossi. When a Cleveland representative is needed to vote on the Hall of Fame, Grossi was the logical choice.
Yesterday, Grossi was removed from the Browns beat for what they're terming an "inadvertant Tweet" concerning Browns owner Randy Lerner.
You see, Lerner -- who rarely meets with the media and prefers a hands-off approach to running his team, unlike the guy in town before him who decided to bolt to land of crabcakes -- decided to give an interview with the Browns' flagship radio station, WTAM 1100-AM, and it's popular afternoon host, Mike Trivisonno.
During Lerner's interview, Grossi sent out a Tweet that was supposed to go to just one of his followers that said, “He is a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world.” Instead, it went out to all of his followers in Twitter-ville.
Oops.
Grossi and the Plain Dealer apologized about the Tweet the next day, but Grossi remained pretty quiet. His last story, the game story from the AFC Championship game between the Ravens and the Patriots, had a very heavy Ravens slant to it (surprising, considering Grossi has led the charge against keeping a certain Judas owner out of the Hall of Fame ... although, then again, Grossi and Bill Belichick butted heads a lot during Belichick's tenure as Browns coach before the big move).
The Tweet basically confirmed what fans who have been reading his stuff had long believed -- Grossi had a bias against the Browns. He and Modell didn't get along because of some snafu that involved mislabeling Modell's not returning a call to comment into a flat-out no-comment on some story (and cost him the beat for a little while). Grossi had problems with Al Lerner, with Policy, with Butch Davis, with Phil Savage, you name it.
Grossi immediately pounced on Eric Mangini upon his hiring, supposedly saying in front of the entire media that Mangini "wasn't gonna get away with the same shit here that he did in New York." You could tell from the rip that Grossi was trying to get Mangini run out of town.
For whatever reason, Grossi didn't hit it off with Mike Holmgren, either. Holmgren's infamous "you're either with us or against us" quote was in response to Grossi, supposedly.
Grossi was snarky to readers who asked him questions in his "Hey Tony" mailbag. Grossi kept harping on the draft-day trade that allowed the Falcons to draft Julio Jones, even after Jones kept getting injured and dropping passes at inopportune times.
Fans were tired of him. And, a lot of them rejoiced at the news.
As a sportswriter, I respect Tony Grossi for what he brought to the table. I'm very happy he's kept Modell out of the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. However, the bias was apparent to even the most non-partisan fan out there. It got really old.
There's doing your job, and then there's going above and beyond to show that you're the top dog in this town, and if you're not with him, you're against him.
Hopefully, there will be more objective and fair Browns reporting in the future.
<> Reports have suddenly surfaced (coincidentally, as the Cavs were about to have their first matchup with the Heat) that LeBron isn't happy in Miami -- gee, what a surprise -- and would look to opt out of his contract after three seasons in South Beach.
And, supposedly, if he were to do so, his No. 1 choice to sign with would be ... wait for it ... the Cleveland Cavaliers.
ARE YOU (BLEEPING) SERIOUS?????
It's obvious to me that his LRMR team are probably leaking this info to their confidants in the media. The LRMR team are all from the Akron area and are a giant mess. They are essentially responsible for the debacle that was "The Decision" and turning LeQuitter into one of the most hated players in today's NBA.
The word is LeQuit is not happy that he's become a social pariah in his home region. I guess growing up here didn't clue him in to how Cleveland fans respond when one of their players quits on them and stabs them in the back. Cleveland fans root for the name in the front of the jersey, not the name in the back. Even if that player was a superstar while they were here, the moment that person leaves is the moment that person becomes Public Enemy No. 1.
LeQuitter must have not paid attention to when Carlos Boozer did the same thing on a lesser scale and was reviled every single time he touched the ball during any game here. How about when Brian Grant, who played at Xavier, turned down a chance to play for Cleveland and forced a three-way tride to Miami, and Grant was suddenly always booed here.
How about Albert Belle and how Cleveland fans showered him with Monopoly money the first time he played at The Jake as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Belle didn't help himself by continually flipping off the fans on the Home Run Porch all night and cursing at them.
Perhaps, now that LeQuit is setting down with his Baby Mama after she left Miami and decided to go back to Akron, he wants to come back home and be loved again. If he doesn't win a championship this season with the Heat, you can bet the vultures will be circling around that carcass.
I don't think Dan Gilbert would bring him back. It would be his turn to tell LeBron to shove it after LeBron went on ESPN and essentially told Gilbert the same thing. Even if it meant more money and a chance to light a fire with a young nucleus of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and whoever the Cavs land in this year's draft.
And, how will the fans react? The fans gave Jim Thome a standing ovation when he returned to the Indians. However, that was about 8 years after he signed with the Phillies in the first place. Eight years is a long time, a long time for bygones to be bygones.
LeBron would only be gone three or four years if he decides to leave South Beach and take his talents back to the North Coast. The question is, would the North Coast allow it?
Joe Cleveland says, I hope to hell not. Let him stay out.
<> We can now say "Rest in Peace" to any chance the Indians had of winning the AL Central Division for the forseeable future, after Prince Fielder signed with his father Cecil's team, the Tigers, for nine years after our old friend Victor Martinez was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
The one saving grace for the Tribe is that MLB will be taking two Wild Card teams in the future. But, with Boston and the Yankees (and even Tampa Bay) emerging every year as a top team, will one of those berths even be out there for the Tribe to take?
Joe Cleveland's been very critical of the Indians' brain trust, especially Larry Dolan, for their inability to "keep up with the Jonses." Yes, MLB isn't set up to promote parity like the NFL is. Yes, there is no salary cap, which allows billioniares in big markets to spend to their hearts content.
However, this is the ocean that the Dolans choose to swim in. Once upon a time, the Indians were one of the winningest organizations in the Major Leagues, playing to a packed house every single night for 455 consecutive nights. That time was only 10-15 years ago.
If the ocean is becoming too deep, it's time for the Dolans to call for the life preserver to take them to shore. In other words, it's time for them to cash out and leave professional sports ownership to true businessmen capable of spending money to better the product, promote the product to the masses and show they are truly committed to winning.
The Dolans are not that description at all, and fans know it. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on a team that's not committed to winning. Fans aren't going to spend their hard-earned money on an atmosphere that, quite frankly, isn't very entertaining. Fans don't like being accused of being part of the perceived "problem" with decreasing payroll, which both Dolans and Shapiro have done over the course of a few seasons.
Another set of Dolans are running the New York Knicks into the ground as we speak. Two once proud franchises owned by people in the same family. One meddles too much and throws his money at the wrong things. The other overspent for his team and can't afford to spend any more money.
Either way, they both need to be put out to pasture ... and I hate the Knicks.
<> Finally, Joe Cleveland was so ecstatic to see the Thieving Bastards get there cumuppance last weekend with Billy Cundiff's missed chip-shot field goal that would have sent the AFC Championship game into overtime and Lee Evans' dropped TD pass that would have given them the win.
If ever a team and a fan base deserved to be shown how it felt to live thorugh The Drive and The Fumble, it's those crabcake-eating, Modell-apologizing theiving bastards, the Baltimorans ... with the exception of the Steelers.
The Steelers got theirs from Tebow. The Ravens got theirs probably even worse.
Both are at home watching the Super Bowl, just like Joe Cleveland is. And, Joe Cleveland is perfectly fine with that ... for now.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
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