Art Modell is Dead

Cleveland has been in mourning for 16 years when football died in this town.  The accused, Art Modell, has now died as well.  He may not have been guilty of any crime per se, just one against humanity.  He took something great and legendary and drove it out of town in financial ruins.  Modell took over the Cleveland Browns at their apex, and made numerous blunders, financial and football related.

Art was just a man, but one who could not recognize that he was in over his head.  Art and a few partners purchased the Browns in 1961 for around $4,000,000 even though he only had about $20,000 to his name. He had no other income than the team itself.  He had no other business experience.

I am not privy to the specific financial situation of the team for the 34 years that Art owned the team in Cleveland, but I do know that Cleveland Municipal Stadium could hold about 80,000 people.  The place was usually near capacity which is saying something.  The TV revenue for NFL games are divided equally among the teams (Modell helped negotiate the deals) and it is a substantial amount.  Art used to work in advertising prior to buying the team so I expect that he was able to sell plenty of ad space in the stadium.

I just wonder how Modell found a way to royally screw up the ownership of the team in a league that has so many built in financial advantages.  The money part should be the easier part of the business compared to the product on the field.  Yet, Modell inherited an exemplary team constructed by legendary coach Paul Brown and fouled it up.

Paul Brown was fired two years after Art took over.  Jim Brown, the greatest player in league history, decided to retire because Art wanted him in training camp on time.  Jim Brown was in Europe filming the Dirty Dozen and after filming was pushed back due to weather and other issues, he decided to retire.  The greatest player in league and team history retired, because Art gave him an ultimatum.

Art's Worst Decisions

1. Moving the team to Baltimore
2. Firing Paul Brown
3. Trading Paul Warfield, future HOF WR, for a draft pick used to select QB Mike Phipps.  Phipps was a major bust, while Warfield has a bust of himself in the Hall of Fame.
4. Trading Bobby Mitchell, future HOF RB/WR for a draft pick used to select RB Ernie Davis.  Davis never played a down as he tragically passed away from leukemia.  Note: Davis would have been a back up on the team due to the presence of Jim Brown who would have been the starter on any team he played for.
5. Signing Andre Rison is a free agent in 1995 even though Modell did not have any money to sign him and needed to take a loan out from a local bank for $5,000,000 to cover the signing.

I am sad that I feel like I need to point everything he did wrong.  He was involved with numerous charities and with the community.  I only see where he ruined such a good team and took it away.  I honestly feel like he was the worst owner in NFL history.  I never met the man and do not want to have hatred for him any longer. 

 I just want to point out the facts as I see them.  I want his record to show that he was incompetent as an NFL owner, he wracked up a mountain of debt, and yet he was able to keep owning the team and move it to Baltimore and have the new city clean up his mess.  It is sad that I have had to care about all of this.  It's just a team.  

Rest in peace, Art Modell.  It is not me who should judge the deeds of your life.  My words are more for my benefit than anyone else right now.  I am getting all of this off of my chest because I do not want to carry it around anymore.  Quoth the Raven, Nevermore.