May 19, 2013

NFL fears Pilot Flying J lawsuits could drain Jimmy Haslam, undermine Browns

May 8, 2013 by 28 Comments

Several team officials are reportedly saying they believe it may be extremely difficult for Jimmy Haslam III to keep his ownership of the Cleveland Browns. CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman reports that, because Haslam may be “ensnared by a myriad of lawsuits and legal actions,” Haslam could experience a significant drain to his finances, preventing him from keeping the team he purchased less than 12 months ago.

Haslam, and his family company Pilot Flying J, is the target of several lawsuits which stem from alleged practices of fraud and deceit. The FBI has been probing Haslam’s truck-stop company and has alleged massive impropriety based on targeted cost-plussing of select clients. A 120-page affidavit recently stated that Pilot Flying J sales employees withheld fuel price rebates and discounts in an attempt to boost company profitability as well as personal sales commissions. If Haslam loses the suits or is forced to settle for large sums, the league is concerned that he will not be fit to own an NFL franchise.

“This is more worrisome than people know,” said one team official who has familiarized himself with Haslam’s situation. In turn, sources tell Freeman that it may only be a matter of time before Haslam is forced to sell the Browns.

Haslam continues to claim his (and his company’s) innocence with regard to the allegations. He recently apologized to the city of Cleveland, stating that he is very embarrassed by the recent fallout. “We feel badly about it, and we’re very comfortable we’ll work through this situation,” he said.

[Related: Where is the line drawn with character concerns?]

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While We’re Waiting… Draft day trades brewing?

April 21, 2013 by 3 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

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Connecting the dots between a possible Kansas City-Miami trade that might affect the Browns’ plans with the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft: “The connections between the Chiefs and the Dolphins, with regard to [Branden] Albert, have been present for awhile. Now, they possibility could be coming closer to being a reality. On Thursday, Arrowhead Pride passed along the information that the Chiefs had given permission to the Dolphins to speak to, but not meet with, Albert.” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs By Nature]

[Read more...]

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Pilot Flying J engaged in fraud for many years, Haslam aware, according to report

April 18, 2013 by 57 Comments

The Plain Dealer’s John Caniglia is reporting that Jimmy Haslam’s Pilot Flying J travel centers has engaged in fraud for many years, according to an affidavit.

“Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam’s travel center company for “many years” engaged in a fraud scheme to keep money owed to customers as gas rebates, according to documents filed in federal court Thursday,” writes Caniglia. “Employees targeted unsophisticated trucking companies through a rebate program. Federal documents unsealed today also say he was present for discussions about the rebate fraud activities.”

Caniglia describes a 120-page affidavit to a search warrant that says Pilot Flying J sales employees withheld fuel price rebates and discounts in an attempt to boost company profitability as well as personal sales commissions. The most damning evidence may be in the report that Haslam, majority owner of the Cleveland Browns, was aware of the fraud.

The entire affadavit can be read within the original Caniglia report. This story is still developing. Neither the Browns nor Jimmy Haslam (who was in Berea today) have commented about the case.

[Related: Banner and Lombardi hold pre-draft press conference]

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NFL News: Jimmy Haslam’s stake in Steelers officially sold

April 11, 2013 by 8 Comments

In a statement of ownership transaction released by the team, Jimmy Haslam III’s minority ownership stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers has officially been sold.

The Steelers that in a series of transactions approved by the NFL all of the Steelers stock owned by Haslam has been acquired, the majority of which was purchased by existing Steelers stockholders while the residual portion was purchased by members of the Swank Family, Scott and Russ Swank.

In October of 2012, Mr. Haslam purchased the Cleveland Browns, thus disassociating himself from all Steelers business at that time and authorized Steelers President Art Rooney, II and Morgan Stanley to arrange for the purchase of the Steelers stock owned.

Steelers President Art Rooney, II said, “We appreciate the continued confidence of our Ownership group involving this purchase of stock owned by Jimmy Haslam, and we welcome Scott and Russ Swank to our Ownership group.”

[Related: As the highest-paid player on the Browns, is Joe Thomas’ value diminishing?]

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NFL News: Browns to reunite with Jim Brown in front office capacity

March 20, 2013 by 29 Comments

The Cleveland Browns will welcome back Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown as the one-time estranged legend will resume a new role under Jimmy Haslam III.

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer reports that Brown, who was a consultant with the team before being demoted by team President Mike Holmgren in 2010 prior to his resignation, met with Haslam in Cleveland on Monday night where the two men finalized plans for a new role with the team.

“Jim Brown and I have spent a lot of time together,” Haslam told Cabot. “We spent about an hour together [Monday] night, and I think we’ve established a really good relationship and I think sometime over the next two or three weeks we’ll formalize that relationship and Jim will play the appropriate role with the Cleveland Browns … It’s a big deal and that’s why I want to do it right. In the next couple of weeks we’ll announce something.”

Brown’s recent history with the team has been contentious at best, whether the former back was involved in a back-and-forth with Holmgren, Art Modell’s Hall of Fame candidacy, voiced his opinion on LeBron James, told fans to “get over” the team’s move to Baltimore and called recent draft selection Trent Richardson ‘ordinary.’ Goodwill with fans has depleted drastically, so it will be intriguing to see in what capacity, exactly, Brown will be engaged.

[Related: The Browns are right to lay low with Lombardi]

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The Browns are right to lay low with Lombardi

March 19, 2013 by 27 Comments

Screen Shot 2013-03-18 at 9.18.12 PMThere’s no getting around the fact that Michael Lombardi was a controversial hire for the Cleveland Browns. Lombardi’s previous history in Cleveland as well as his presumed track record – including a very long stint off of any team payrolls – is plenty of reason to give the fan-base and the Cleveland media pause at minimum. Even those who support the Cleveland Browns’ hire of Michael Lombardi have to admit that he has a lot to prove. With all that in mind, I couldn’t help but support the Browns’ decision to have Lombardi lay low for a while.

I said from the first moment that Lombardi appeared to be absent that it might make a lot of sense with so much tape out there of Lombardi commenting on teams, players, future draft picks and everything else that a media talking head might find himself (or herself) commenting on.

And boy did Lombardi comment. Even before he could cash his first check from Haslam enterprises in Berea, he found himself referencing comments he’d made about the most important battery in the Cleveland Browns offense of Brandon Weeden and Josh Gordon. The media was right to ask him those questions and now the Browns are right to let Lombardi do his work as GM and let Joe Banner handle the spokesperson duties while the expiration dates on his commentary approach and eventually pass.

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Dan Gilbert passes Tigers owner Mike Illitch on billionaire list

March 5, 2013 by 5 Comments

Mike Illitch may be willing to deficit spend his way to a World Series, but it is Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who is officially the wealthiest person to live in Detroit, Michigan, per Forbes.

Gilbert, the founder of Quicken Loans, Rock Ventures, Rock Gaming and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers — among other smaller companies and teams — is worth an estimated $3.5 billion, up from $1.5 billion in March 2012, because of the extraordinary growth of his privately held mortgage financing company. Forbes reports that the nation’s largest online lender closed $70 billion in mortgages last year, up from $30 billion in 2011.

Gilbert is also said to be purchasing Greektown Casino in Detroit, while being one of the main investors of a light rail system that will hope to improve the economic conditions of the rustbelt town.

When compared to the rest of the world, Gilbert, 51, slots in 354th overall. This compares to Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam who is said to be worth $1.8 billion, leaving him off of the top 500 as ranked by Forbes.

[Related: WFNY Podcast – Diminishing returns in baseball stats?]

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Haslam: I will remain “heavily involved” in Browns’ decisions

February 13, 2013 by 54 Comments

I want to assure everybody I’m more excited today about having the opportunity to own the Cleveland Browns — which is a very distinct and rare privilege — as I’ve ever been. I still plan on being heavily involved in all key Browns decisions. My time in Cleveland is not going to change at all. During the season we’re there a day or two a week and we’re there on weekends or wherever we’re playing. We’ll be very active and very visible during training camp and we’re obviously going to be there a lot during the free agency and draft periods which are obviously so important to the future of the Browns. [...] We’re going to be there as much as we need to be to insure success. We feel great about the team we’ve put in place but we’re still going to be highly involved and I think you saw how much we were there from August to December. We’re going to have a big presence in Cleveland.

– Cleveland Browns majority owner Jimmy Haslam III in an exclusive interview with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Haslam, earlier this week, became the CEO of the Tennessee-based Pilot Flying J, a position from which he had resigned in the fall of 2012. Haslam owns a home on Cleveland’s east side and recently became a member of The Cleveland Clinic board of directors. Haslam stated that he will not be at th NFL combine, but had no plans of attending the event prior to this week’s announcment. He stated that he will help decide on all key player acquisitions in free agency, trades and the draft, April 25-27.

[Related: WFNY Podcast – Scott and Craig talk Bourn, Flacco, Haslam and Mike Wallace]

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Jimmy Haslam III returns as CEO of “first love,” Pilot Flying J

February 11, 2013 by 46 Comments

Not even six months after stepping down to focus his efforts on his ownership of the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam III has decided to return to his role of CEO of Pilot Flying J.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Haslam said he “missed” being CEO of Pilot Flying J. John Compton, the former PepsiCo president, was announced as CEO of the company in September. At this time, Haslam’s resignation was considered a sign that he would be involved more within the day-to-day operations of the Browns, signaling a vast change from that of the team’s previous owner Randy Lerner.

“[This move is]not about John,” said Haslam. ”This is about me realizing my first love is running Pilot Flying J and wanting to return to that job.”

Compton will reportedly work as a strategic adviser to Pilot Flying J, the Browns and the Haslam family.

“I am thrilled to work with Jimmy on the strategic opportunities facing our companies,” said Compton via press release. ”I have greatly enjoyed working directly with the Pilot Flying J teams and look forward to assisting the Cleveland Browns as well. My family and I are proud to call Knoxville our home and we look forward to a long-term relationship with Jimmy and the Haslam family.”

[Related: WFNY Podcast – Art Modell, House of Cards, Quentin Tarantino and the 2013 Tribe]

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NFL News: Browns will have a quarterback competition heading in 2013

February 1, 2013 by 49 Comments

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said today that his team will not only bring in a new quarterback this offseason, but whomever they sign will compete with Brandon Weeden for the starting job.

“I think [Norv Turner] and [Rob Chudzinski] have been very open that they like a lot of what Brandon [Weeden] does,” said Haslam, ”but we’re going to have competition at that position, and I think competition makes us all better and we’ll see where that competition comes from.”

The Browns have been rumored to be in the mix for the potential services of current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is likely to be released or traded this offseason and he has a history with Turner, the team’s recently signed Browns offensive coordinator. Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer has also linked the team to Michael Vick due to his history with former Eagles front office wizard Joe Banner.

With the NFL’s free agency period set to kick of on March 12, the Browns will once again take part, but will not look to make any large moves.

“[The front office] is going to look at free agency and we’re going to look at the draft, and I think we’ll be selective in what we do in free agency,” said Haslam. “I don’t think you’ll see us making any big splashy, high-priced moves because I think we’ve said all along we’re going to build through the draft.”

[Related: Celebrating Five Years of Waiting For Next Year]

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WFNY Podcast – 2013-01-28 – Did Jon and Craig get cocky?

January 28, 2013 by 2 Comments

WFNY Podcast LogoI don’t believe Jon was joking when he told me that we shouldn’t post this one today. We went for a long time and we talked about a lot of things, but I think Jon’s feeling is that we got too big for our britches. When going into these podcasts I prefer not to have an agenda per se, but this podcast might have benefited from an agenda. We talked about lots of things, including sports, but we also got off on some tangents. Anyway, in the interest of putting all our potential warts out there, here is the podcast.

Did we do OK? Was it a misstep? Let us know in the comments.

  • The Browns, their ownership and patience
  • The Indians and their ownership and patience
  • Craig watched a national NBA game
  • Deconstructing sports fans’ defenses of their favorite sports
  • Owning up to your own homerism for your favorite sport
  • The Pro Bowl and the band Train
  • The Goo Goo Dolls on Live from Daryl’s House
  • Omar Vizquel doing a karaoke version of “Broadway” by the Goo Goo Dolls
  • Jon’s database project over the weekend
  • Craig’s deathmatch weekend
  • Plagiarism and whether it is a good sign for the artist who commits it
  • Much much more…

Listen at Stitcher

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Recap: WFNY at the 2012 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards

January 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Greater Cleveland Sports AwardsOnly behind seeing a championship, attending the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards should be next on any Cleveland sports fan’s bucket list.

A sensational event year after year, Waiting For Next Year was lucky to become a sponsor of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission this year, enabling various writers the opportunity to be at the 2012 main event both as attendees and media members. And boy was it a hoot.

Taking place as always at the Renaissance Hotel downtown, Thursday night’s event again hosted more than 1,250 people, including some of the biggest names in Cleveland sports. It was the place to be on a very Cleveland-esque cold night: Placed strategically in between Cavaliers home games, the event strives to gather together the stars for a night of auction items, award presentations and fine dining. [Read more...]

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“Chud” may be the man, but the Cleveland Browns were played by Chip Kelly

January 16, 2013 by 116 Comments

And I have been whining that there hasn’t been much to write about…..

CHIP KELLYHere I was, sitting in the Kansas City airport, waiting for a flight home, perusing Twitter, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen drops a bomb of atomic proportions: The Philadelphia Eagles will name Oregon’s Chip Kelly as their next head coach.

Wh-wh-what?

I was going to try and not be reactionary to the news, but I just can’t. Let us recap what has happened:

New Browns bossman Jimmy Haslam and his handpicked CEO Joe Banner can tell you all day long that Kelly wasn’t there first choice, but it was clear that he was. The two went to Arizona, met with him for seven hours plus a two-hour dinner, the day after Kelly’s Ducks dispatched the Kansas State Wildcats in the Fiesta Bowl. There was no doubt – their full court press was on. We were led to believe that Haslam was not going to be outbid by anyone for Kelly’s services. As I wrote last week, Haslam and Banner had all of their eggs in Kelly’s basket, thought they had him, yet left Arizona without a deal in place. Kelly went on to meet for another full day interview with Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman, who is all that remains from the Reid/Banner era front office. Like with the Browns, the Eagles were reportedly rebuffed by Kelly and his agent and had to go back to the drawing board.

[Read more...]

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Cleveland Browns will “look” into uniform changes, say no to cheerleaders

January 16, 2013 by 46 Comments

While the Cleveland Browns officially entered a new chapter of team history by unveiling the sale of the naming rights to Cleveland Browns Stadium to FirstEnergy, team owner Jimmy Haslam III stated that the team will also “look into” changes to the team’s uniform.

Due to the glacial pace of legalese-clad updates to anything in the NFL, the team has filed the requisite paperwork that could see minor updates to the otherwise hitorical uniform as early as the 2014 season. Browns fans who cling to history and nostalgia will be glad to know that the logo-free helmets will remain so as not altering he team’s headgear was one of the four stipulations agreed to upon the transfer of ownership from Randy Lerner to Haslam 1 .

While there may  be some minor changes to the Browns’ uniforms, what will remain untouched are the current sidelines as cheerleaders will not be added to the fold. One of only a handful of teams to not have cheerleaders gracing the outskirts of the playing field, Haslam stated that they, while littering all of Dallas, “do not fit Cleveland.”

The impending changes to the team’s uniform and in-stadium accouterments has been an ongoing topic of discussion since Haslam took ownership of the team. Like every other Browns-based topic, the emotional reactions have been mixed.

[Related: Top Five Non-Essential Things Jimmy Haslam Should Do With the Browns]

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  1. One other stipulation is that the team cannot be moved — the other two are unknown [back]

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Cleveland Browns Stadium to be named via FirstEnergy

January 14, 2013 by 45 Comments

The news vortex of Twitter is abuzz on Monday stating that the Browns will be handing naming rights over to FirstEnergy, the diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Several outlets are bantering about the likelihood of said scenario while trolling for feedback — one of the more legitimate being WEWS’ Kristin Volk.

Following the completion of the transaction which transferred majority ownership of the Cleveland Browns to Jimmy Haslam III, naming rights to the stadium were one of the first items which many in Cleveland expected to be changed. The stadium had been dubbed “Cleveland Browns Stadium” since its erection prior to the 1999 season, but Haslam — the former CEO of a billion-dollar truck stop business — notoriously sees the stadium as additional means to market the team.

WEWS reports that the Wilson Football plant in Ada, Ohio has already printed and shipped 60 balls with the FirstEnergy mark on them. If the rumor is proved true, what the stadium’s official name will be remains to be seen as “FirstEnergy Stadium” is presently home to the Reading Fighting Phils, the Eastern League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. This, in addition to the stadium that houses the University of Akron soccer programs. “FirstEnergy Field” appears to have some traction.

In 2008, Progressive Insurance (headquartered in Mayfield, Ohio) purchased the naming rights to the ballpark which houses the Cleveland Indians, costing the publicly traded firm roughly $58 million for 16 years of rights. Two months prior, Progressive laid of 340 employees. This past November, FirstEnergy — having eliminated 200 positions in October — announced that it expects to cut up to 400 jobs by 2016 citing ”struggles to stay profitable in a lackluster economy,” one which has led to continued low demand and low power prices. As of 2010, First Energy reportedly employed 10,000 individuals and provided energy sources to 4.5 million customers.

Update: The Plain Dealer has confimed reports that FirstEnergy has purchased naming rights to the stadium.

[Related: Kelly, Chudzinski, & Plan B….Was There One?]

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Saban to NFL, Browns: Thanks, but no thanks

January 8, 2013 by 87 Comments

“How many times do you think I’ve been asked to put it to rest? And I’ve put it to rest, and you continue to ask it. So I’m going to say it today, that — you know, I think somewhere along the line you’ve got to choose. You learn a lot from the experiences of what you’ve done in the past. I came to the Miami Dolphins, what, eight years ago for the best owner, the best person that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work for. And in the two years that I was here, had a very, very difficult time thinking that I could impact the organization in the way that I wanted to or the way that I was able to in college, and it was very difficult for me. This is where I belong, and I’m really happy and at peace with all that.

– Alabama head coach Nick Saban, 61, on Tuesday after his men’s Division I program won it’s third National Championship in four seasons. While everyone may indeed have a price, it appears that Alabama’s Nick Saban is rooted more in his heart than in his wallet. Despite continued rumors hope-based speculation that would pin the former Browns defensive coordinator back in Cleveland, the Crimson Tide head coach will be staying put with his dynasty.

[Related: WFNY Roundtable: The Chip Kelly debacle and the ongoing search for a Browns head coach]

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WFNY Roundtable: The Chip Kelly debacle and the ongoing search for a Browns head coach

January 7, 2013 by 109 Comments

Though the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching search officially began upon the ousting of one Pat Shurmur, it began to pick up substantial steam over the last 48 hours once Oregon’s Chip Kelly did his annual flirtation with a league he is obviously not cut out for. The rumor mill swirled, speculation was ripe, and the Browns left their temporary headquarters in Arizona without a captain for their ship. The result was one part chaos and the other part wonder — wonder surrounding what is to be learned, wonder surrounding what is yet to come. What follows is a roundtable discussion between members of WFNY. Do enjoy.

Scott: Alright. I’ll start things off. Jimmy Haslam III and Joe Banner set up shop in Arizona where there proceeded to interview a handful of qualified candidates, only to seemingly put all of their eggs in the Chip Kelly basket. Not only did Kelly leave without signing whatever offer was presented to him, but he’s going back to college — very Brett Favrian, in my opinion — and the Browns have flown home without a head coach in place while the candidate pool continues to lose depth. What should fans take away from the circus that was the last 48 hours?

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NFL News: Browns interview former Cards head coach Whisenhunt

January 3, 2013 by 20 Comments

Leaving no coaching stone unturned, the Cleveland Browns are said to have interviewed former Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

With Jimmy Haslam III and Joe Banner staking out in Arizona, the Browns’ majority owner and CEO are apparently speaking to every individual in whom they might have the slightest bit of interest. Whisenhunt, who was fired Monday by the Cardinals, also has interviewed with the Buffalo Bills. He was one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL prior to his firing, leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history during the 2008 season.

The Browns are said to be interviewing Oregon’s Chip Kelly later this week while reportedly maintaining interest in Penn State’s Bill O’Brien, Arizona defensive coordinator Ray Horton, and Syracuse’s Doug Marrone.

[Related: Browns fans split on Chip Kelly and Bruce Arians as favorite coaching candidate]

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ESPN: Haslam, Banner to meet with Oregon’s Chip Kelly on Friday

January 2, 2013 by 48 Comments

The coaching rumors continue to swirl as the Browns are now rumored to have an interview lined up with Oregon’s Chip Kelly this Friday. Joe Banner is reportedly already in Arizona-

“According to several reports, Cleveland’s CEO Joe Banner is in Arizona and intends to interview Kelly, who is preparing the Ducks to play in Thursday’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The interview will take place Friday.”

Today SportsCenter reported that Jimmy Haslam will be joining him for the Kelly interview on Friday.

[Related: Chip Kelly "I don't know what the future holds"]

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Browns walking the public relations tight rope in coaching hire

January 2, 2013 by 23 Comments

When he arrived in Berea back in August, Jimmy Haslam III was quick to point out how aware he was of the fans of the Cleveland Browns; the passion, the pride and, most recently, the frustration all playing key roles in those who are on the buying end of his newly purchased product. What Haslam purchased was a team not as much in need of wins (this part is obvious), but one that is in dire need of direction and relation. Not only do the fans have their pitchforks and in hand, but as the end user — those who supply the funds, both monetary and emotional — Cleveland fans as a contingent feel as if they have largely been ignored.

A perpetual public relations nightmare every year from August until January, you have a team that has failed to adapt to the changing mediums of fan relation. Ranging from half-hearted meet-and-greets all the way down to Instagram pandering, the Browns have been left in the dust as the rest of the league speeds ahead like Spaceball I in both success and support. Alas, Cleveland has cultivated a fan base that, after being ignored for years in the win department, yearns to have more input in high-level decisions. Look no further than newspaper pleas of who not to hire. But as much as the Cleveland Browns have largely ignored those who have paid for the PSL’s and $11 beers, it appears that Haslam and CEO Joe Banner, while considering the voice of the fans, will stick to their guns in making any moves.

[Read more...]

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