Sun Prints Cleveland attack on Modell

[ChippewaJoe]

In the hardcopy, beginning on the front page of Sunday's sports section, that article appeared next to this one

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...6608578.column

I have always understood 'some' of Cleveland's angst. One argument against Modell being in the HOF though always fails. If moving a franchise in any sport cancels one's chances, Al Davis would not have been inducted, nor Walter O'Malley.

[baltimoreron]

In the hardcopy, beginning on the front page of Sunday's sports section, that article appeared next to this one

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...6608578.column

I have always understood 'some' of Cleveland's angst. One argument against Modell being in the HOF though always fails. If moving a franchise in any sport cancels one's chances, Al Davis would not have been inducted, nor Walter O'Malley.

I also understand their angst and can empathize since I know the feeling. However, if Bob Irsay had made as significant an impact on the state of the NFL that Mr. Modell has, I would begrudgingly admit as much. And if was was deserving of the HOF, I would wish him well.

If it does happen, I'm saddened by the fact that it will not be done during his lifetime.

[Frank Costanza 831]

Did those pricks in Cleveland really miss anything from 1996 to 1999? Art probably just saved them 3 more embarrassing seasons

[shootseven]

maybe someone can clarify this for me. as I understand it, Cleveland bought a new venue for their basketball team. then they bought a new stadium for the Indians (or maybe it was in reverse order). when Art asked for help with getting a football stadium, they flat out said, "no".

First he was offered in on the Gateway project and said no (which is understandable, who is building football/baseball stadiums anymore); then there was a proposal to tear down the old stadium and build a new one on the same site (which was eventually done) while the Browns played off site (like Colombus) for 2-3 years (which teams do all the time) and he turned that down. His counter proposal was a complete renovation of the old stadium, but before the tax payers could vote on it he took the Baltimore deal. So no, the city did not flat out say no, it's much more complicated than that.

[shootseven]

It is sad and amusing that the BS would print this garbage.

It there still some guilt over the way the team came to Baltimore after what happened with the Colts? I don't see any other explanation (for the way some fans (see Frank Costanza 831's posts as an example) and media have tried to rewrite history and make Modell some saint. Just look at Peter Schmuck's counterargument article about Modell; which contains lies such as "And cared enough about the fans there to leave their colors behind". All this writer had to do was look back at his own paper to see that wasn't the case:

it was the first question put to him at yesterday's pep rally/news conference/paid political announcement.

"Will you change the name?"

"No," Modell said.

"Very succinctly," Gov. Parris Gloat-dening added, beaming as if the name theft were all part of the deal.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...dell-cleveland

What changed after those comments, oh yes, it was the very real possibility that Modell would lose in court on the lease case and be forced to play in Cleveland through 1999; so the name, colors, and history became a bargining chip, nothing more.

Bottom line is both Irsay and Modell did the same thing to loyal fan bases; and both moves became "necessary" because of the failings of both of those owners.

[weird-O]

It there still some guilt over the way the team came to Baltimore after what happened with the Colts? I don't see any other explanation (for the way some fans (see Frank Costanza 831's posts as an example) and media have tried to rewrite history and make Modell some saint. Just look at Peter Schmuck's counterargument article about Modell; which contains lies such as "And cared enough about the fans there to leave their colors behind". All this writer had to do was look back at his own paper to see that wasn't the case:What changed after those comments, oh yes, it was the very real possibility that Modell would lose in court on the lease case and be forced to play in Cleveland through 1999; so the name, colors, and history became a bargining chip, nothing more.

Bottom line is both Irsay and Modell did the same thing to loyal fan bases; and both moves became "necessary" because of the failings of both of those owners.

that article didn't mention any of the details you posted here.

[shootseven]

that article didn't mention any of the details you posted here.

I was quoting the "pro" Modell article, not the anti Modell article.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...6608578.column

[shootseven]

Nov. 6: Modell and Glendening announce the Browns' move at a news conference at Camden Yards. Cleveland sues the Browns in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, asking Judge Kenneth Callahan to force the team to stay until its stadium lease expires in 1998.

Nov. 16: The city of Cleveland files suit in U.S. District Court seeking to retain the rights to the team name and colors.

Nov. 24: Callahan extends his order blocking the Browns from moving until a trial on a permanent order is held. The trial later is set for Feb.12.

1996

Jan. 12: Cleveland expands its Common Pleas Court lawsuit, adding Moag, Modell and the Maryland Stadium Authority as defendants and claiming they conspired to breach the Cleveland Stadium lease. Revised suit seeks more than $300 million in damages, as well as order forcing the Browns to stay.

Jan. 17: The NFL owners delay their vote on the Browns' move. The Maryland Stadium Authority files a $36 million antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, saying that the delay will drive up financing costs for a stadium and that it is part of a pattern by the league over the past 12 years of keeping a team out of Baltimore illegally.

Feb. 8: White and NFL announce a tentative agreement that will keep the Browns name and colors and put a team in the city by 1999.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...stadium-browns

You can check more of the Sun, or Cleveland Plain Dealer, around those dates for more details, or the book Glory for Sale, http://books.google.com/books?id=u5s...ed=0CC0Q6AEwAA

[LarryN]

I was quoting the "pro" Modell article, not the anti Modell article.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...6608578.column

Just out of curiosity....what is your opinion of Al Lerner?

[HAIL2BNG]

It there still some guilt over the way the team came to Baltimore after what happened with the Colts? I don't see any other explanation (for the way some fans (see Frank Costanza 831's posts as an example) and media have tried to rewrite history and make Modell some saint. Just look at Peter Schmuck's counterargument article about Modell; which contains lies such as "And cared enough about the fans there to leave their colors behind". All this writer had to do was look back at his own paper to see that wasn't the case:

it was the first question put to him at yesterday's pep rally/news conference/paid political announcement.

"Will you change the name?"

"No," Modell said.

"Very succinctly," Gov. Parris Gloat-dening added, beaming as if the name theft were all part of the deal.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...dell-cleveland

What changed after those comments, oh yes, it was the very real possibility that Modell would lose in court on the lease case and be forced to play in Cleveland through 1999; so the name, colors, and history became a bargining chip, nothing more.

Bottom line is both Irsay and Modell did the same thing to loyal fan bases; and both moves became "necessary" because of the failings of both of those owners.

Revisionist history is amazing.

Modell also timed his move announcement the day before the voters were set to extend the sin tax that would have made it harder for him to claim he wasn't getting what he wanted. The truth is he left for the money. He had no intention of leaving the name and history behind. His hand was forced. He's not very different from Irsay at all.

[shootseven]

Just out of curiosity....what is your opinion of Al Lerner?

And only that because he didn't actually move a team himself; and no one knows what would have happened if say Modell sold the team to Lerner in 1995.

Still, my opinion of him is not positive.

[Nightman]

In the hardcopy, beginning on the front page of Sunday's sports section, that article appeared next to this one

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...6608578.column

I have always understood 'some' of Cleveland's angst. One argument against Modell being in the HOF though always fails. If moving a franchise in any sport cancels one's chances, Al Davis would not have been inducted, nor Walter O'Malley.

There have been owners with worst transgressions who have been inducted in Canton. George Preston Marshall a former Redskins owner probably was a racist because he was the last NFL owner to integrate his team and only signed Bobby Mitchell because it was the only way his team would have been allowed to sign a lease at DC (now RFK) Stadium after Congress forced his hand. In the 50s the last line of Hail to the Redskins was "Fight for old Dixie", instead of DC like it is now. The Redskins back then played three songs before a home game at Griffith Stadium, the National Anthem, Hail to the Redskins and Dixie. I remember an interview that Mitchell gave when he first came to the Redskins that they made him sing Dixie.

[demopublican]

It there still some guilt over the way the team came to Baltimore after what happened with the Colts? I don't see any other explanation (for the way some fans (see Frank Costanza 831's posts as an example) and media have tried to rewrite history and make Modell some saint. Just look at Peter Schmuck's counterargument article about Modell; which contains lies such as "And cared enough about the fans there to leave their colors behind". All this writer had to do was look back at his own paper to see that wasn't the case:
it was the first question put to him at yesterday's pep rally/news conference/paid political announcement.
"Will you change the name?"
"No," Modell said.
"Very succinctly," Gov. Parris Gloat-dening added, beaming as if the name theft were all part of the deal.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...dell-cleveland

What changed after those comments, oh yes, it was the very real possibility that Modell would lose in court on the lease case and be forced to play in Cleveland through 1999; so the name, colors, and history became a bargining chip, nothing more.

Bottom line is both Irsay and Modell did the same thing to loyal fan bases; and both moves became "necessary" because of the failings of both of those owners.

Baltimore had no choice but to steal a team. Don't blame Paris or Modell. Blame the NFL for choosing to pass Baltimore over time and time again.
Cleveland got their colors, name, and history back. They got a new stadium, a new owner, and their old history and they got it fast. We got nothing until we took it. Screw cleavland, screw. Indy, and screw you.

[Ravens2006]

There was NO chance that Modell would have lost in court. None. The NFL couldn't stop franchise relocation at the time. No municipality could stop it. The dirty little secret... they really didn't want to either. They (CLE / Ohio) could have forced a lot of court costs and paperwork nightmares, but they weren't stopping that move, nor was the league stopping that or any other move. Modell held the name / colors as a carrot to eventually simplify the process. Could they have given him more headaches along the way? Sure. But it ultimately wouldn't have changed anything that happened in 1996. Expansion was a farce to open up new markets, give the owners more options to squeeze out new stadium deals locally, and if necessary backfill newly emptied markets. The owners weren't crazy about moving to untested markets. They pushed the expansion entrants in to the "new" markets first, then triggered a brief free-for-all grabbing the best deals from established / former markets.

And yes, Lerner was a key player in Baltimore's expansion bid. He played a huge role in kick-starting the move process. He knew the details of the stadium offer / perks as well as anybody, because he was on the "Baltimore side" during the expansion joke. He used that info to get Modell to go. Maybe he thought that a myriad of players would coerce Modell in to selling to him and then taking an expansion team in BAL, but he was wrong. Ultimately, Cleveland lost a few years of football... and Lerner rode back in on a white horse as some sort of savior. Hilarious, really...

[weird-O]

Nov. 6: Modell and Glendening announce the Browns' move at a news conference at Camden Yards. Cleveland sues the Browns in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, asking Judge Kenneth Callahan to force the team to stay until its stadium lease expires in 1998.

Nov. 16: The city of Cleveland files suit in U.S. District Court seeking to retain the rights to the team name and colors.

Nov. 24: Callahan extends his order blocking the Browns from moving until a trial on a permanent order is held. The trial later is set for Feb.12.

1996

Jan. 12: Cleveland expands its Common Pleas Court lawsuit, adding Moag, Modell and the Maryland Stadium Authority as defendants and claiming they conspired to breach the Cleveland Stadium lease. Revised suit seeks more than $300 million in damages, as well as order forcing the Browns to stay.

Jan. 17: The NFL owners delay their vote on the Browns' move. The Maryland Stadium Authority files a $36 million antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, saying that the delay will drive up financing costs for a stadium and that it is part of a pattern by the league over the past 12 years of keeping a team out of Baltimore illegally.

Feb. 8: White and NFL announce a tentative agreement that will keep the Browns name and colors and put a team in the city by 1999.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...stadium-browns

You can check more of the Sun, or Cleveland Plain Dealer, around those dates for more details, or the book Glory for Sale, http://books.google.com/books?id=u5s...ed=0CC0Q6AEwAA

thanks for sharing this, it was all new to me. I didn't live in MD when all this happened, so I missed the whole process.

[atomic]

Another misconception is that the builders of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame chose Cleveland because some disc jockey from Cleveland coined the term "rock and roll". Bull. That story never happened. They got the RnR HOF because they paid a small fortune to get it there as part of some North Harbor revitalization project. They easily could have built Modell a new stadium but they simply chose not to. And he told them in 1994 if they didn't do it for him he would move the team to Baltimore. They chose to ignore him and he did what he said he would do. He was a man of his word and a great man at that. So once again, Screw Cleveland

Well then they are pretty smart as they now have the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and an NFL team.

[SouthSideFan]

I know the Cleveland area likes to compare what happened to Baltimore but to me, there's no comparison. The Browns returned to Cleveland with the name and uniform colors intact. What did Baltimore get? They got 12 long years to mourn and be humiliated by the NFL(not to mention the idiot commissioner at the time) and to have all it's links to a storied past completely destroyed by a drunken, spiteful man. Yes, the new Browns were an expansion team and terrible but the fact that they have stayed lousy for so long is nobody's fault but the performance of an inept front office. It's easy and convenient to keep blaming Modell and also quite idiotic. The man is dead as is Robert Irsay. All of us should let go of the past because you can't return to those days. They're gone and will never come back.

You'll never see Bob Irsay in the HOF.

[weird-O]

You'll never see Bob Irsay in the HOF.

did he do anything to earn the HOF?

[JasonM]

did he do anything to earn the HOF?

Does hiring Mike McCormick & Frank Kush as as doing "anything"?

[RAVEN FAN]

Clevland get over it . you bunch of damm crybabies. we did not get to keep our name or logo and colors.