Belichick as a complete failure in Cleveland is a myth. He took the Browns to the playoffs and won a game (beating Parcells and the Patriots); when Modell announced they were leaving Belichick had them in first place at the time before everything fell apart. Belichick was building a team that would win the Super Bowl in Baltimore.
Belichick was not a failure in Cleveland as you correctly point out, but he had very little to do with building the team that eventually won the Super Bowl in Baltimore. That roster turned over completely between leaving Cleveland and clubbing the Giants-there might have been one guy left that had played in Cleveland.
Of course the pick used for Ray Lewis came because BB traded down the year before.
Yeah, but that's like giving Bobby Grier credit for drafting Brady because Brady was taken with a compensatory pick awarded when the Pats let some guys walk as free agents the year before.
A friend just sent me this out of the blue:
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-11/sports/sp-63677_1_college-football/2
Art Modell should not be listened to, from his wiki: Despite a no-cost stadium lease, all revenues from parking, concessions, and TV, as well as a reported $25M Maryland subsidy, Modell's ownership of the Ravens resulted in continual financial hardships, and the NFL stepped in and directed Modell to sell his franchise.
It is complete nonsense. He was driven from Cleveland by self inflicted financial problems. The Browns were playoff favorites going into that last year in Cleveland, then injuries and the shocking move -- announced early season -- ripped the heart from the team. BB had more than overcome some early reign problems -- Kosar and the like -- and had that team on a firm path to sustained excellence. The staff he had assembled for the Browns, featuring Ozzie Newsome and the like, was phenomenal.
This quote sums up what is good about Belichick and bad about Modell quite perfectly.
Modell lost the team because (i) there were a ton of expenses he didn't anticipate - like buying out his minority partners, paying $23M towards the stadium and paying a $29M relocation fee - it is said that the move cost him $185M - and (ii) unlike very many owners at the time (and any current owner), the football team was his sole source of wealth.
LOL, yeah I mean the criticism is, what, that he was very, very serious about his job and wasn't willing to chit chat with the owner while preparing for games during the week? Absolutely hilarious.
I mean the people that drafted Lewis were working for BB the year before. There is a good likelihood BB would have drafted him as well.
That is great. It'd be fun to see a graph of how much time BB allotted Modell from day 1 until the end.
I seem to recall Modell lost megabucks gambling, but maybe that was just a rumor?
Fine-he had something to do with the Baltimore team that won the Super Bowl. He was five years removed at that point, but they picked Ray Lewis with the pick that he had traded for, so he gets some credit.
Like a Michael Bay movie. Were it not for BB, we'd be the sons of Leonta Rhemes.
You are right, I am an idiot for arguing that point. Also, I for some reason thought it was quicker than 5 years after they moved.
Yup. This is the most damning possible thing you can say about Art Modell from a solely football perspective. He couldn't get along with Paul Brown and Bill Belichick! There's no way any other NFL owner in history has ever had his head so far up his ass in his outsized self regard that he's been unable to get along with two of the greatest coaches ever, is there?
