RIP Art Modell

The pain Baltimore suffered makes its courting of another team's franchise all the more worse. They knew what it felt like, then decided to inflict it upon another city. I agree much of the blame falls at the NFL's feet. Baltimore deserved an expansion franchise.

 

"Ask not what your pro sports franchise can do for you, but ask what you can do for your pro sports franchise."

 

Please tell me that was tongue in cheek. It was not insignificant for the fans when their team packed and left for Baltimore. My father, who was raised in Akron and is a lifelong Browns fan, was not amused at the move. I wish I could RIP him, but I really can't. Sorry he has died, but rest in peace...? Uh...No.

 

I guess I didn't see anyone doing that . . . just that their hatred was justified, in their eyes, because of what he did to them. What happened to Baltimore with Irsay doesn't lesson their vitrol for Modell. Now, the first time they tell Baltimore Colts fans they shouldn't hold a grudge . . . well, they are on their own then.

 

The only way Baltimore was ever going to get a team was to steal one. Hypocritical? Maybe. But the city tried to do it the right way for a DECADE. Tagliabue decided Jacksonville was a better market. The "noble" choice for Baltimore would have been rooting for a CFL team for the rest of time. Again, Cleveland didn't lose the Browns as much as the franchise simply went on hiatus until the league did backflips to write a wrong. After awhile, the angst seems a bit much to Colts fans. It's not like Bernie Kosar had to be honored in the Cleveland Knighthawks Ring of Honor the way Unitas had to be with the Ravens.

 

Yup when prior Francesa called him a doddering old fool.

 

None were Browns beat writers.

 

RIP?

The man's historic impact on the game itself was minimal (unlike, say, other noted prick Al Davis), and he thumbed his nose at some of the most passionately loyal fans in sports.

He broke a city. And he didn't care.

 

This is too funny. And I know quite a few Browns fans that will never forgive, and are probably throwing a party right about now.

Asked one friend of mine why he hadn't posted about this on Facebook yet, and he said he was waiting word on LeBron too.

Know one guy who had a toilet on his Browns party bus with Modell's face in it.

If they would even mention it Sunday, the place gets drowned out in boos.

 

All due respect, but the collapse decades earlier of the Great Lakes/Rust Belt economy broke the city.

Art Modell broke the city's heart.

 

If not for Rozelle, Mara and Modell, there would be no revenue sharing, and that socialist principle is probably what made the NFL what it is today. Modell also came up with the idea for Monday Night Football, which played a huge role in the growth of the game. Hate him all you want, but his impact was not minimal.

 

The tackiness comes in when you added more drinks and a bottle of wine.