Jump to content

Art Modell dies at age 87


BerniesElbow

Recommended Posts

Art Modell died last night. I, for one, have no hatred or vitriol for the man. He made a big, dumb mistake, plain and simple...because he was greedy and felt like he needed to pass the team on to his sons. And he ended up selling it anyways. Yeah, it was stupid but its just a game. At the end of the day, win or lose, we all have to get up and go to work the next day.

And maybe now, the jinx is lifted.

And, no, I dont think he should be in the Hall of Fame. If you're not good enough for it when your alive, then why are you good enough when you're dead? Just because he died, that doesnt erase what he did.

Romans 12:19

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/former-cleveland-browns-baltimore-ravens-owner-art-modell-114937895--nfl.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The NFL treated it as an expansion team---except they kept the name, the colors, the records and anything else associated with the franchise. It was an unprecedented deal that was set up because of all of the uproar the fans caused. The "new Browns" took the field in 1999...and have pretty much sucked since they came back. Which is (I feel) the main reason that so many fans harbor this hatred for the man. That, and they won a Super Bowl.

Theres a very good book about the whole screwed up situation that was written by a Cleveland sportswriter called "The Fumble". Its a really good read and sheds light on how much of the blame could/should be shared by the Cleveland politicians and Art Modells bad business decisions that left him bankrupt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And now, the League has mandated that all home teams will hold a moment of silence or something else appropriate at all games this weekend. Wonderful. Browns have said they will do the latter. Should be interesting.

Listen there are several reasons why Modell moved the team. But he always said he was losing money. Yet, they sold out every single home game.

He saw the Cleveland Cavaliers(NBA) and the Cleveland Indians(MLB) get brand new venues and was taken on a tour of Jacobs Field, the home of the Indians. The local politicians told him he would be taken care of, but he had to wait his turn. He saw the sparkling baseball facility and glass enclosed restaurant there and made the decision that night. There was a vote put to the public and taxpayers on a new facility for the Browns. It was scheduled months in advance. He moved the team to Baltimore, the week before the vote. It passed overwhelmingly. This makes me (and alot of others) believe this move had been in the works for several years. He also voted in the last expansion dealings to DENY a team to Baltimore. You do the math.

I think there were 2 players leftover from the Browns that were on the Super Bowl team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...
Â