A moment of silence was taken around the NFL on Sunday in honor of Art Modell, except in Cleveland, of course. A moment of silence had been planned in Cleveland, but was scratched after Modell’s family asked Cleveland officials to not honor Modell. Cleveland fans, still not forgiving of Modell’s decision to move the team to Baltimore, would likely not have responded well to the recognition of Modell, the most hated man in Cleveland history.
I was only nine-years-old when Modell moved the team to Baltimore, and I wasn’t the die-hard fan I am now. However, I still hate Modell for moving the team. It’s only speculation, but I have to believe that the Browns would be a totally different team today, had it not been for them having to rebuild the team in 1999. Baltimore took our players and management, and went on to win a Super Bowl in 2000. It’s my belief that the Lombardi Trophy should’ve belonged in Cleveland. And for that reason, Clevelanders have never been able to forgive Modell.
There were several reasons Modell allegedly decided to move the team to Baltimore. Modell was supposedly facing severe financial troubles and felt that selling the team would be the best option. However, in my opinion, he could’ve sold the team to someone who promised to keep the team in Cleveland. That’s what Randy Lerner did when he recently sold the team to Jimmy Haslam III, and that’s why Lerner hasn’t lost anyone’s respect.
Modell was also frustrated with the city of Cleveland. Modell wanted a new stadium for the Browns, but instead, city officials built Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field), the Gund Arena (now Quicken Loans Arena), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Great Lakes Science Center. While Modell may have been frustrated with city officials, it still didn’t give him the right to move the team out of Cleveland.
There’s a couple reasons I’m happy we didn’t recognize Modell on Sunday. First and foremost, I don’t think Modell deserved the recognition. I know he was an important fixture in the NFL, but what he did to Cleveland fans is a disgrace. Modell never even apologized for moving the team, so he wasn’t deserving of any respect from Cleveland fans.
No matter how much I hate Modell for moving the team, I will never celebrate another person’s death. But I also just can’t mourn the death of a man like Modell, and I believe the majority of Cleveland fans feel the same way. However, Cleveland fans are brutal, and this is the other reason I’m happy we didn’t recognize Modell. Had there been a moment of silence planned, I’m sure many fans would’ve started cheering and celebrating Modell’s death. Cleveland fans are some of, if not the most loyal fans in the NFL, but ruining a moment of silence to recognize Modell’s death, would’ve made us look awful.
Modell will be remembered by many around the league as a legend, but he’ll always be a villian in Cleveland. His death also brings bad news to former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. Now that Modell is gone, James is without a doubt, the most hated man in Cleveland.
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This article is exactly my fear when it comes to the rebound in Cleveland.. That is too many Clevelanders have this “Entitlement” attitude. Art Modell created a winning Browns team. It was his investment… it was his baby. Yes we as Clevelanders got to enjoy it – but we treated him wrong.
Really – what makes you think that you had a stake in the Browns? Yes you may have cheered them on and paid admission to see them or watch them on t.v. – and you got the enjoyment of that. We had a winning team and treated them like losers when it came to their home. The Browns were wooed by someone who appreciated them – they knew what it was to lose a team.
We as Clevelanders should have a “Lesson learned” attitude – not this entitlement attitude which will guarantee Clevelanders the same roller coaster ride that we have always experienced with everything which turns good…. give it up and learn your lesson, cause if you don’t – I guarantee you that you will experience it again.
Ned, what crazy train did you get off of? Seriously? “Entitlement attitude”? Yeah, I can see what you mean, crazy to think that a team that has a city’s name should stay in that city…
You can make the argument that it’s business, however when it comes to sports, someone is always emotionally involved, and while it’s normally not the owner it is definitely the fans. Similar to LeBron leaving, fine, if a person wants to make the decision then make a decision, but if it’s not explained well (neither of which were, and both actually led the city to believe nothing like that would happen). I don’t know what your definition of “appreciation” is, but I think sold-out games and die-hard fans are appreciative, I don’t know of any other fans and city that took their case to the Supreme Court so don’t tell me Cleveland didn’t appreciate the Browns. And how did “we treat him wrong”? Up until then he was a prominent member of Cleveland society and enjoyed a high social status, so if you mean “we” as in city officials, I can probably agree that something was going on, however he was a businessman, if he wanted a stadium approved he could have mentioned moving or started rumors and get the city official’s constituents to pressure them for what he wanted, but again, that did not happen. Oh and again, like LeBron, he never apologized for ripping the heart out of a city.
I am a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan. I’m a season-ticket holder, even when I’ve lived out of state and out of country, I was also a founder and President of a Browns Backers club, so don’t for a second tell me that I don’t have a stake in the Browns. The Browns are an intrinsic part of the City of Cleveland. I’m a die-hard Cleveland fan so even when we suck, I’ll continue to wait for “next year”.
PS- I can’t stand people who call themselves Clevelanders yet clearly don’t really like Cleveland or have a lot of disdain for Clevelanders, if you don’t like the place, take a page out of “his” book and MOVE!
Oh and Terra, good article, I think most Browns fans totally understand. I think the NFL was stupid or did it on purpose mandating teams pay tribute to him… They had to know the reaction of fans and they still wanted us to do it and end up looking bad on national television… I love my Brownies, but we don’t need help looking bad (although the D was pretty great)
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