You say that as if his role in moving the Browns was tangential. It wasn't. He was the central villain. The city gave new stadiums to the Indians and the Cavs because they thought the Indians were at risk of leaving and they wanted the Cavs downtown. Art never revealed to the city his financial problems were so severe that he needed a completely new stadium with all the luxury boxes, PSLs, etc. to stay solvent or he would be forced to move the team. How did the city suddenly become incompetent with the Browns when it wasn't with the Indians and Cavs? The difference was how the Indians and Cavs communicated their needs to the city vs. how the Browns didn't. And when the city developed the plan to modernize the stadium, Modell supported it. Then a week before the vote to pay for the modernization, he announced he would leave. How is the city at fault for this? For not understanding how serious Modell's financial problems were when he never revealed their seriousness?

 

Ultimately, Art wanted to keep the team in his family, and he hoped the move to Baltimore solve his financial problems. It didn't. Ultimately he was forced to sell the team anyway, which is what he should have done in 1995.

 

What Art did cost me a big part of my innocence and my naive love for professional football. I have never loved football as much as I did since before October 1995. I will never forgive him for that.

 

AMEN!  AMEN!  Preach on!!

I'm torn on this.  Maybe it's because I was too young at the time to fully understand the implications of the move.  Or maybe it's because the Browns have always been my third favorite professional sports franchise.  But either way, I don't have the burning hate in my heart for Modell that others in this town seem to have.  I don't like Modell and I don't respect what he did and how it has affected football in Cleveland to this very day.  But I'm not celebrating his passing.  By all accounts, he was a good person who made a very bad business decision (one that broke a lot of hearts). 

Whippersnapper, you don't know our pain.  NOW HUSH....before you ask another "question"!  LOL

So does he deserve a place in the Hall of Fame?  I'd argue that he does, despite how Cleveland fans feel about him.  It's a league wide museum... so I can't see a reason to leave him out.

Well lets just wait for that decision.

So does he deserve a place in the Hall of Fame?  I'd argue that he does, despite how Cleveland fans feel about him.  It's a league wide museum... so I can't see a reason to leave him out.

I feel that an owner is something of a civic leader and when you put an owner into the hall of fame you have to look at how he treated his constituents. in this case, not so well.  That is why I say no.

curious as to why he could or should get in? one superbowl in all those years?? ok and one championship way back when he came into the league that he really did not have much to do with. what about the majority years of mediocrity? naww aint gettin in!

 

and on a whole other note, betting it was the same for some of you, but the txts i got! unshareable!! funny, but unprintable.

 

 

 

He would go in for his history of negotiations on the NFL's behalf; getting tv deals, revenue sharing, monday night football, etc... 

He was a very successful advertising executive, which is how he earned his wealth in New York in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, the most successful NFL team in the prior 15 years was the Cleveland Browns. He loved football, so he used the wealth he earned as an advertising executive to buy the Browns. He applied his knowledge of advertising to help make the NFL more accessible and successful. But as an owner-operator of a football team, his record was far less productive and ultimately ended with him wrecking one of the league's best professional teams, turning its far-flung fan base against him as an angry mob, and continuing his financial problems to the new city forcing him to sell the team. His dreams of winning the Super Bowl in Cleveland, turning the team over to his son David and accepting a bust at his Hall of Fame induction never happened.

 

Art Modell does not belong in the NFL Hall of Fame. He belongs in a Shakespearean play.

In no universe does Modell deserve a place in the Hall of Fame. He needlessly and surreptitiously destroyed millions of Ohioans' hearts in a hideous, unethical manner. I don't know if the damage was permanent, but when you look at the Browns of the last 13 years, it's evident that this is the team in name only. Just prolonged misery thanks to big Art.

What other notable owners have been inducted into the Hall of Fame and what have they done to deserve it?

 

I wasn't mad yesterday morning after initially hearing of his passing, but as the day went on and I became more and more exposed to the national media's take on his career, my anger began to rise a bit.  There's certainly a lot of revisionist history floating around out there right now regard Modell and in particular the circumstances surrounding the move.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/09/cleveland_browns_will_give_app.html

 

Uh-oh.

Even IF it is the 'right thing to do'...... this is the worst idea I maybe have ever heard.  First, the fans will cheer when they announce his death.  Then, the fans will boo when they try to commemorate his life.  Then, Cleveland will be national news again for all of the wrong reasons.  Why not just do a public viewing like they are going to do in Baltimore and let the fans try to hit the casket with dog biscuits, batteries, and unopened bottles of beer.

Even IF it is the 'right thing to do'...... this is the worst idea I maybe have ever heard.  First, the fans will cheer when they announce his death.  Then, the fans will boo when they try to commemorate his life.  Then, Cleveland will be national news again for all of the wrong reasons.  Why not just do a public viewing like they are going to do in Baltimore and let the fans try to hit the casket with dog biscuits, batteries, and unopened bottles of beer.

 

It really doesn't make sense.  It's my understanding that the NFL is sort of forcing the Browns' hand on this one. 

Maybe Lebron could give the eulogy.

^^ The "controversy" of Clevelanders booing a man in death will probably make great TV.

At least Scott Fujita will be able to play this Sunday.

Heard a great line from Ken Carman this evening on 92 The Fan....

 

"There's only three guarantees in life:  death, taxes and Phil Dawson."

Heard a great line from Ken Carman this evening on 92 The Fan....

 

"There's only three guarantees in life:  death, taxes and Phil Dawson."

 

Classic!  I think Phil made just about the most improbable field goal ever, remember - in that blizzard!!

Maybe Lebron could give the eulogy.

ROFLMAO

At least Scott Fujita will be able to play this Sunday.

 

I heard although he is eligible now that he still will not be playing Sunday (injury I think).

Classic!  I think Phil made just about the most improbable field goal ever, remember - in that blizzard!!

 

Here's the highlights, including the 35-yarder that he kicked to his right and the wind blew back to the left -- through the goalposts. And I don't know how in the world he made that 48-yarder.....

 

cleveland browns vs buffalo bills snow bowl

I heard although he is eligible now that he still will not be playing Sunday (injury I think).

 

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/09/cleveland_browns_linebacker_sc_5.html

 

I am very much interested in seeing how L.J. Fort plays.

Wow, that game was really in the bag. Then came the spectacular self-destruction.

It was never in the bag. The offense accomplished nothing the entire day - Weeden was pretty much mentally crushed from the get-go. The defense was spectacular in most regards. Not surprised Richardson had a slow start, but Weeden was far worse than expected, and I had low expectations.

Yeah, the offense was.... offensive.  They really let the defense down today.  At one point, one of the commentators mentioned brining McCoy into the game.... I just thought "Shut the hell up".  Weeden looked really bad, but we don't need to start crying to bench him just yet.

 

L.J. Fort had some nice plays, to bad he couldn't secure that last near-interception.  It's that old familiar sting... but it's good to have football back.

A couple more thoughts: 

 

What happened to Marecic having good hands?  I thought that was supposed to be his upside?

 

The older commentator is awful at pronouncing names.... really bad.  Even after John Lynch would say it right, he still said it wrong.

Joe Hayden can't do everything, but almost.

I think the thing that kills the most with the Browns losing is that they have had so many games where they have almost won, then lost it in the last few minutes of play.

Quite possibly the worst game by a quarterback in the history of NFL football. I wanted to run out on the field and throw the ball myself. Seriously, how can a 28 year old first round draft pick be that flipping bad. Quarterback rating: 5.1

 

Defense: A-

Defensive line: A- They had pressure on Vick all game long and still contained him the few times they over-pursued.

 

Linebackers: A  D'Qwell Jackson is one of the top three middle linebackers in the game today. Also, the quickness by the rest of the squad was very evident today. The fact that the rest of the squad had less than three years experience in unbelievable.

 

Secondary: B It would have been an "A" if not for the breakdown at the end of the first half.

 

Offense: F

 

Quarterback:  F It seriously doesn't get much worse than that. Take away the 4 yard dump off to Massaquoi  that turned into 24 yards and the meaningless 20 yarder to Gordon at the end of the half and his stats are: 10-33 ZERO TOUCHDOWN/ FOUR INTERCEPTIONS and 74 yards. His next longest pass was to Brandon Jackson for 14 yards of which Jackson gained 15 of those yards on his own (he caught the pass behind the line of scrimmage).

 

I would also like to point out the stats of the other rookies:

 

Robert Griffin III 19 26 320 73.1 12.3 1 9 2 0 139.9 Spectacular

Ryan Tannehill         20 36 219 55.6 6.1         3    23      0 3   39.0 Sh*tty but still better

Russell Wilson         18 34 153 52.9 4.5         3    14 1 1   62.5 I would take it (3rd rounder)

Andrew Luck         23 45 309 51.1 6.9         3    16 1 3   52.9 So So

 

Any one of those performances would have won the game for us.

 

Running Back: D Richardson didn't remind anyone of Jim Brown "D-". Marecic...meh "D" Jackson in limited action "B"

 

Wide Receivers: Incomplete. Nobody had a chance to catch the ball because everything was over thrown/under thrown

 

Special Teams: B+ One word...Phil Dawson

 

Coaching: B

 

Offensive Coordinator: C+ It's hard to tell how well the play calling is when your 1st rd QB couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and your third pick in the draft starting half back averaged 2.1 YPC

 

Defensive Coordinator: A A A A!!! Missing both OLG and one of your starting Defensive Tackles. What an amazing job.

 

Special Teams: B Coverage was solid.

 

Head Coaching: B- Do you pull your rookie QB out to try for a win at the risk of crushing his confidence (what little he had left after that showing). I'm confident to say we would have won with McCoy at the helm and I'm not a huge McCoy fan.

 

I'm going to bed...

 

 

Phil Dawson still has more career rushing touchdowns as a Brown than all of our RB's combined!

Quite possibly the worst game by a quarterback in the history of NFL football. I wanted to run out on the field and throw the ball myself. Seriously, how can a 28 year old first round draft pick be that flipping bad. Quarterback rating: 5.1

 

 

It happens, especially to first-timers and to some who have played for a while. For example, McCoy had a 9 rating in his last preseason game this year -- against second- and third-rounders.

 

Don't jump off a bridge as it was just one game in a season in which I expect the Browns to start 0-4 and go 6-6 the rest of the way. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. I feared the Browns would get blown-out in this game.

Quite possibly the worst game by a quarterback in the history of NFL football. I wanted to run out on the field and throw the ball myself. Seriously, how can a 28 year old first round draft pick be that flipping bad. Quarterback rating: 5.1

 

 

It happens, especially to first-timers and to some who have played for a while. For example, McCoy had a 9 rating in his last preseason game this year -- against second- and third-rounders.

 

Don't jump off a bridge as it was just one game in a season in which I expect the Browns to start 0-4 and go 6-6 the rest of the way. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. I feared the Browns would get blown-out in this game.

 

I thought they were goin to get demolished... But when you're in the game (and winning) in the 4th quarter, it's hard not to be pissed about Weeden's inability to make ANYTHING happen. Oh well... On to next week.

I was pissed we lost the game too. I threw my remote control (into a pillow), took a deep breath, went to dinner and by the time I came back I realized where we stood in the grand scheme of things vs. my expectations of where we'd be at this point.

 

BTW, I do think that if Pat Shurmur continues to make these poor offensive calls, create bad matchups for us, etc., Haslam/Banner won't hesitate to fire him. I only hope he doesn't shake things up too much, and replaces him with Dick Jauron, makes Ray Rhodes the new defensive coordinator and lets Brad "The Mad Scientist" Children make the offensive play calls. That should minimize the upheaval with any coaching change. There's enough coaching talent here now that we don't need to throw the babies out with the bathwater.

Before judging Weeden and the offense in general, I want to see them play against a team that doesn't have two pro-bowl corners, a great run stuffing middle backer, two premier pass rushing defensive ends, and incredible all around depth.  I imagine Philly is going to 'get it together' this year on the defensive side of the ball and frustrate a lot of their opponents.  There might not be another defense in the entire league that you would want to break in a bunch of rooks at key positions.

 

What was disappointing is that Weeden looked shaken by his bad performance and it spiraled down the toilet as the game went on.  He has to show better poise than that.  Especially disappointing given his age.

 

Such a shame that the great showing by the D was overshadowed.  Name the last time you saw our front 4 get that much pressure on their own.  Bringing added pressure worked out well too.  Vick spent a lot of time on the ground.  I thought the pass coverage actually improved when Shelton went out.  DQ52 killed and his young, undrafted counterparts showed some athleticism that, frankly, Gocong and Fujita don't have.  The two new DE's (Rucker and Parker) made their presence felt in the rotation, as did the two rookie DTs (Winn and Hughes).  Rubin is an all-pro.  We're gonna miss Haden over the next four games.

 

 

I've been pimping my boys L.J. Fort and Craig Robertson since the first preseason game. To me, my first sight of them playing caused me to ask "Who is that #40? Who is #47?" I read up on them, watched their videos and realized how good they were at these small colleges where many NFL scouts did notice them or didn't bother looking. I think these two guys got better as the preseason went along, so I am very excited to see if/how they will develop.

 

BTW, how fast are these guys?

 

LJ Fort's best 40-yard dash is a speedy 4.59, but his slowest was 4.78. http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=114654&draftyear=2012&genpos=OLB But his 20-yard dash is incredible: 2.58 seconds. Usually only linemen or linebackers run a 20-yard dash in college or at the NFL combine, so it's difficult to compare with all players (especially WR). But I've found some data online that a few wide receivers (Michael Crabtree, Reggie Brown, etc) who run slower 20-yard dash times than LJ Fort.

 

And how fast is Craig Robertson? This fast....

 

Craig Robertson LB North Texas running 19 miles an hour!.wmv

^ what the? look at kjp pimpin!

 

 

Such a shame that the great showing by the D was overshadowed.

 

 

unfortunately it looks like that will be this season's refrain. i cant see this o getting much together. dawson may help pull out a couple wins, but it looks bleak so far.

 

Like I said, wait until after we play someone other than Philly.  After a year of playing together and adding Ryans to sure up their run defense, that cast of pro bowlers is going to lay the slap down on other teams too.  If it looks just as bad on Sunday, then I'll be there with you pounding the drum for Haslam to come in with some major changes

Wow, 19mph.  I have a nice speedometer on my bicycle, I can attest that 19mph feels fairly quick on a bicycle.... let alone actually running.  Granted, that's not "real world" speed considering there is no wind.  Still, wow.

 

unfortunately it looks like that will be this season's refrain. i cant see this o getting much together. dawson may help pull out a couple wins, but it looks bleak so far.

 

 

OK, let's take a deep breath for a sec. First, as Hts121 notes, we played a very good team in Philly. Their defense is outstanding -- one of the league's best. But I also think the Browns offense has a lot of raw talent -- emphasis on "raw". Consider this level of experience for their first-string offensive players:

 

Quarterback Brandon Weeden: ROOKIE

Running Back Trent Richardson: ROOKIE

Fullback Owen Marecic: ONE YEAR

Wide Receiver1 Greg Little: ONE YEAR (3 or 4 WR set Josh Gordon: ROOKIE)

Wide Receiver2 Mohamed Massaquoi: THREE YEARS (3 or 4 WR set Travis Benjamin: ROOKIE)

Tight End Benjamin Watson: EIGHT YEARS (2 TE set Jordan Cameron: ONE YEAR)

Left Tackle Joe Thomas: FIVE YEARS

Left Guard Jason Pinkston: ONE YEAR

Center Alex Mack: THREE YEARS

Right Guard Shawn Lauvao: TWO YEARS

Right Tackle Mitchell Schwartz: ROOKIE

 

DEPTH CHART SOURCE: http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/depth-chart.html

 

So when the Browns are in their basic offense, six of their 11 players have one year of NFL experience or less (that's four of the six so-called "skilled" players). When they are in their four WR spread offense and leave Richardson in to audible out of a blitz, the Browns will have FIVE ROOKIES on offense.

 

And Sunday was their first regular season, full-speed game together. Ever. Against one of the best defenses in the NFL. So let's cut them a little slack. OK?

 

unfortunately it looks like that will be this season's refrain. i cant see this o getting much together. dawson may help pull out a couple wins, but it looks bleak so far.

 

 

OK, let's take a deep breath for a sec. First, as Hts121 notes, we played a very good team in Philly. Their defense is outstanding -- one of the league's best. But I also think the Browns offense has a lot of raw talent -- emphasis on "raw". Consider this level of experience for their first-string offensive players:

 

Quarterback Brandon Weeden: ROOKIE

Running Back Trent Richardson: ROOKIE

Fullback Owen Marecic: ONE YEAR

Wide Receiver1 Greg Little: ONE YEAR (3 or 4 WR set Josh Gordon: ROOKIE)

Wide Receiver2 Mohamed Massaquoi: THREE YEARS (3 or 4 WR set Travis Benjamin: ROOKIE)

Tight End Benjamin Watson: EIGHT YEARS (2 TE set Jordan Cameron: ONE YEAR)

Left Tackle Joe Thomas: FIVE YEARS

Left Guard Jason Pinkston: ONE YEAR

Center Alex Mack: THREE YEARS

Right Guard Shawn Lauvao: TWO YEARS

Right Tackle Mitchell Schwartz: ROOKIE

 

DEPTH CHART SOURCE: http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/depth-chart.html

 

So when the Browns are in their basic offense, six of their 11 players have one year of NFL experience or less (that's four of the six so-called "skilled" players). When they are in their four WR spread offense and leave Richardson in to audible out of a blitz, the Browns will have FIVE ROOKIES on offense.

 

And Sunday was their first regular season, full-speed game together. Ever. Against one of the best defenses in the NFL. So let's cut them a little slack. OK?

 

they've had slack since 1999 - it's time they stepped up and got the job done.  the past few seasons included several 1 point losses, but a loss is still a loss.  slack time is over, it's time for results.

 

I just don't like what I've seen from Weeden, I realize it's preseason, but they play these games for reasons other than money.  The clubs are evaluating their personnel by examining who's executing assignments and winning physical confrontations.  If I'm not seeing enough of the latter to think it could translate to Sundays, I have no choice but to question the player or unit.

 

I think Weeden will surely get rid of the ball quicker as he matures as a player.  I question if he will stop staring down receivers though.  He's a guy who threw a lot of picks in college and looks to throw a few in the pros.  Staring down receivers is a skill.  When you're in a chaotic, pressure-packed cubicle like an NFL dropback passer, you're going to lean on what's going to save your life.  Weeden has been staring down receivers his whole career.  That and the confidence behind his big arm is why he had so many turnovers in college.  I hope the Browns' coaches can iron out his mechanics so he gets that ball ahead of his guys and into an active window where the receiver can capitalize on his reception.

 

Above is what I said about Weeden in the preseason after the Packers-Browns game...

 

Why did Shurmur kick a PAT on the touchdown instead of going for two?  That was the worst coaching decision of the day.  Prevented an overtime opportunity for Cleveland.

 

 

 

they've had slack since 1999 - it's time they stepped up and got the job done.  the past few seasons included several 1 point losses, but a loss is still a loss.  slack time is over, it's time for results.

 

What's happened in the past is irrelevant. It's dead. The guys on this team don't know or care about it. So don't put the sins of the past on them. I know you're impatient and want to win now, but you have to let them develop at their own pace. If the fans had their way, the Browns would never be able to attract any young talent  here.

 

FYI: Joe Montana once said that he started figuring out football as his body started falling apart. So mentally his football IQ was at its peak when his body could no longer physically carry it out.

 

Want to see a good football team? Wait a few years or move. It's that simple.

^^Most NFL coaches would have made that call unless it was in the last 3 minutes of the game.  Every national pundit brought on the airwaves up here this week has said so.

 

As far as 'staring down' recievers, that has more to do with Shurmer's system which mostly predetermines which route is going to get the ball before the snap.  Let's see how he does against some pair other than Asomugha and Cromartie before trying to imagine we have him all figured out.

Jimmy Haslam has handed over reigns of Flying J to a new CEO, but retains Chairman of the Board position. So, he's got a lot more time on his hands to dedicate to the Browns, or relax out on the beach, woods, golf course, or whatever he may fancy.

 

http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2012/09/jimmy-haslam-hires-his-replacement-at-pilot-flying-j/

^^Most NFL coaches would have made that call unless it was in the last 3 minutes of the game.  Every national pundit brought on the airwaves up here this week has said so.

 

As far as 'staring down' recievers, that has more to do with Shurmer's system which mostly predetermines which route is going to get the ball before the snap.  Let's see how he does against some pair other than Asomugha and Cromartie before trying to imagine we have him all figured out.

 

Staring down receivers is a funny critique to me. I obviously see the advantage in being able to check down, or look off receivers. But I routinely see Peyton Manning, Brady, Rivers, etc. just stare holes into guys and they're still all star QB's.  But the commentators only use the "staring" critique after an obviously bad pass! They never ever say "Brady stares down Welker and completes the pass for the touchdown!"

Bold prediction of the week - Weeden QUADRUPLES his passer rating from week 1

they've had slack since 1999 - it's time they stepped up and got the job done.  the past few seasons included several 1 point losses, but a loss is still a loss.  slack time is over, it's time for results.

 

What's happened in the past is irrelevant. It's dead. The guys on this team don't know or care about it. So don't put the sins of the past on them. I know you're impatient and want to win now, but you have to let them develop at their own pace. If the fans had their way, the Browns would never be able to attract any young talent  here.

 

FYI: Joe Montana once said that he started figuring out football as his body started falling apart. So mentally his football IQ was at its peak when his body could no longer physically carry it out.

 

Want to see a good football team? Wait a few years or move. It's that simple.

I want to see a winning team, but I'm not moving.

 

What I'm saying has nothing to do with patience and everything to do with not tolerating any more mediocrity. 

 

The mindset needs to change from "oh hey, at least they tried" or "we only lost by 1" to facing the fact this team has been losing for 13+ years and it's not OK anymore.

 

Who's been losing 13+ years?  Dawson?  Cuz he's the only one who's been here that whole time. 

 

Let's face it, it may be cathartic to say things like "they better start winning now", and "I'm not tolerating mediocrity", but I don't know how you can say that since the last batch of guys couldn't get it together, this set of extremely young players better have it together NOW! NOW! NOW!  We all want to see a winning team, ASAP.  But being unreasonable isn't going to get us there any quicker.

I'm not saying WIN NOW I'm saying get pissed about losing.

I'm not saying WIN NOW I'm saying get pissed about losing.

 

Believe me, any athlete who can make it to the NFL did so because they HATE losing. But who should be pissed? Fans? Players? Either way, getting mad isn't going to make these new Browns players learn more quickly how to finesse their way through a double-team, or perfect a swim move past a taller opponent, or know how to play with other guys at a speed they've never played at before. Football players at the high-school and collegiate levels learn beginner X's and O's, plus basic movement techniques, and at a much slower pace of game. The NFL game is played at a dizzying pace with an incredibly complicated playbook that has multitudes of read-and-react options for offenses and defenses. The NFL is truly a whole new ballgame, and some players take months or years to figure out enough of it to succeed (some have such sick talent they can succeed on raw skills until their brain catches up). Some never do. Getting mad at them is not going make them learn any faster.

 

I think they've got tons of raw talent on this team, maybe too much of the raw. But considering this team needed a complete tear-down-and-rebuild-up job, having lots of young players was inevitable. They probably could have brought in more veteran free agents, but most of the guys willing to come here weren't exactly the types they wanted to mentor the young players or otherwise lead by their example (ie: Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress).

 

Getting mad doesn't make a player learn faster. In fact, I would argue the opposite is true. Improving your focus through dedication, commitment, self-confidence and, yes, even some peace of mind will help "slow" the game down for them. Of course, the game doesn't slow down. Their minds adjust up to the speed.