When NFL teams are truly bad, historically awful, a fan uprising is often not far behind.
That’s the case in Cleveland these days, where some fans are planning a protest before the team’s game against Baltimore on November 16th for Monday Night Football. Two men are asking fellow fans to skip the opening kickoff before taking their seats.
Such a statement may actually be a good sign for a franchise. Would fans in St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay care enough to bother?
Still, the notoriously quiet Browns owner Randy Lerner is taking the threat seriously and responded in an email to the Akron Beacon-Journal.
”On the grounds of frustration and irritation with performance, then
that’s the medicine I [we] are going to take, and I accept that. The
goal this year was to rebuild the culture at the Browns. We felt at the
end of last year that we lacked any overall philosophy, approach or
direction regarding recruiting, drafting, coaching, preparation or
training. As a result, each season was feeling like starting over and
4-12 following 10-6 felt painfully not all that surprising,” Lerner wrote.
(Hmm . . . no direction, and a 4-12 season not surprising. Could that be a response to former G.M. Phil Savage’s comments this week?)
”It’s been way too long since the Browns have had anything to feel
good about or invest in, and it’s clear that the doubt and negativity
are taking on a life of their own,” Lerner continued.
”What I can say is that we, and I, have remained open to new and fresh
ideas and thinking and people with passion for the Browns and football
experience getting involved and with hope and luck and support, making
a difference. We won’t become entrenched or stubborn and despite my
allergy to be more conspicuous, I do remain eager to seek help and
guidance from any and all corners.”
Huh?
It’s great Lerner is reaching out to the loyal fans that keep his franchise going. He’s always seemed to understand he’s lucky to have the Cleveland fanbase, but just hasn’t figured out how to win. But we’re unclear what the message is in the final statement.
For a while, the email sounded like a potential endorsement of the Eric Mangini regime as one that is creating a consistent culture in the organization. But then Lerner writes that he’s remaining open to new ideas and won’t remain “entrenched or stubborn.”
If Lerner wants to explain what he meant, he can always email PFT. In the meantime, he has half a season to determine whether he wants to bring Mangini and company back for year two.
Derrick Anderson
Sorry, no free pass here. Lerner went out of his way to front that there were “legit” interviews by other candidates when in reality there was no attempt to do so.
He wanted Mangina and the results thus far have been abysmal even by the Crennel regime standards.
Someone should tell the fans protesting their team moved to Baltimore. Current Browns are an expansion franchise and will suck for awhile.
Houston, Panthers and Jags have had decent years but hardly anything to celebrate.
Need a good front office and a good coaching staff to build a consistent winner, the Browns are still searching for that. Well, most NFL teams are.
The entire e-mail message was apparently quoted in the PFT article above:
http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/67176022.html
I hope they get it together soon. I miss the Browns – Steelers rivalry.
well at least lerner, unlike snyder/millen, knows he cant do battle with all the browns faithful.
It just means that Randy “Slow” Lerner has hired hisself a flowery & meandering ghostwriter with a handy thesaurus.
The Browns’ fans deserve a better front office and coach than what they have. It is an embarassment that they went so feverishly after that Pillsbury dough boy after he was run out of New York. Do you think he could do better with less talent?
As a Vikings fan who feels sympathy toward Browns fans, the idea of this protest is right on.
Trying to empty out the stands for the opening kickoff is a strong statement, easy for fans at the game to do, and not disruptive to the actual game. It would have a dramatic tinge to it that gets right to the issue. It is hitting a nerve with Lerner already.
What all successful teams have is a plan. The Browns did not have a plan until Mangini took over. Mangini has installed his new plan. I don’t know enough to say that it’s a good plan or bad plan. In defense of Mangini and Lerner, it is actually a plan.
Wow. Talk about lame.
Yea, let’s take an extra 5 minutes to take our seats! That’ll show’em!!!
Then, 10 minutes into the game when the cameras show a full stadium everyone will just think the line at the nacho stand was a bit long.
Way to Stick It To The Man!
Losers.
The Browns are lucky the Bills decided to be just as inept for 1 game, or they’d be right there with the Rams and Bucs (i.e. winless).
What does it say when another periennial member of the AFC North basement, the Bengals, are 5-2 and tied for first?
That the Browns now have it all to themselves.
Maybe when they figure out, you know, how to score at least one offensive TD a game, they might actually win more than 5-6 in a season.
The goal was to rebuild the culture? This team is constantly in the rebuilding phase every year. They are the laughingstock of the AFC north and the NFL. In my expert opinion the Lions, yes the Lions are better.
Sorry Cleveland your players suck, the coach sucks, the GM sucks, the owners suck and most of all the fans of Cleveland suck. It’s your job as fans to demand a franchise that is competitive, how can you be proud of that team??? I do applaud these fans for organizing this, they might be the smartest Cleveland fans…which says a lot.
Art Modell loves you Cleveland!
Hell I’m no GM but I would love to offer some advice to Randy Lerner.
1. Trade Brady Quinn – The guy has more value on the trade market than Anderson, which could bring in some better draft picks for the draft in April, which everyone is chalking up as a stocked draft class.
2. Get a tough veteran linebacker, even someone on their decline (Shawn Merriman), who just might have something left in the tank and will at the very least be a presence.
3. Take your loses this year and draft Taylor Mays if available with the teams first pick.
- That last move should place some building blocks on that defense to work around, along with Shaun Rogers & Wimbley.
Last but not least, get rid of Jamal Lewis. His lack of leadership/production sends the wrong message to the rest of the orgnaization. And when you get rid of him, decide right away on whether or not James Davis is who you want to build around. (for their sake I sure hope not)
Oh yea and fire Mangina… his way of wearing the team down before the season even starts is just retarded. This is football in the 21st century, not football from the Bear Bryant days. Guy is a tool.
Hopefully the Browns decide to kick instead of receive, or the crowd will miss Cribbs return the kick (the one big play threat they have). As much I’d love to see him take one to the house in front of an empty stadium, Browns fans feel enough pain as it is.
Why would he want to email you Florio? For you can do another smear job. This hatred of all things Browns is getting tiresome. They sink right now. But so do alot of other teams. I don’t see this hatred being taken out on them.
No, the response was Derick anderson
You know how to stick it to them? Don’t buy season tickets. When everyone starts to cancel, they will panic.
Advice for Randy Lerner:
1. Tell You-Been-Mossed to shut the %$#% up!
You Chowder Head
Well at least the loser of Lions and Rams will still have 0 wins. See looking at the bright side does make you feel better.
My Cust. Svc. Experience at CB Stadium
So…I was stupid enough to spend $20 on a ticket I bought from a scalper last Sunday for the GB game. It was a ticket in Section 343. I was in town from Atlanta and was more excited to sit with my cousin and uncle than I was to actually watch the Browns inevitably lose.
My cousin and uncle had seats in 532…about 5 rows from the top. Shockingly, there were no seats open next to them. I’d guess that about 30% of the seats in the upper level were open, a number I expected to be much higher considering the lack of talent in the front office, coaching staff, and on the roster.
I told my cousin I’d just go sit a little further down in the section. I walked straight down the stairs, and as I was headed down to the lower part of 532, an usher who looked just like Ochocinco, asked me for my stub. Now, I knew my stub wasn’t for this section, it was actually a much better seat, in a lower section. I figured the guy wouldn’t care, after all…in this particular section, I’d say about 75% of the lower seats were open. He looked at my stub, told me my seat was down lower in the 300s, as if I didn’t know this, and that I should just head down there. I didn’t take the time to explain to him my situation. I decided to head one section over.
I walked one section over to 531. This time, no one asked to check my ticket stub. I sat down in the middle of the row. When I sat down, not a single person was in my row. Two Packers fans stumbled in and sat down a few seats to my left. A couple Browns fans sat in the row behind me. We talked about the game, the unbelievable lack of talent on the Browns roster, etc. In those two rows, there were a total of 5 people seated, including myself.
Head in hands, I watched the first quarter. No one else had showed up. If there were 100 seats in this particular section…I’d say 75 were empty at the end of Q1.
Midway through the second quarter, in classic Browns form, it was clear that this game was over and the Browns had no chance to win. I started to think about when I’d make my exit, as I had to drive down to Cincy after the game for a pit stop on my way to ATL.
With about 3 minutes left in the second quarter, the usher who should dress as Ochocinco when he’s out trick or treating on Saturday, came walking over to me and asked me for my ticket. I thought he was kidding. Here I am sitting by myself, quietly watching the Browns crap all over their fans again, and this guy is asking me for my ticket.
I politely told him I wasn’t sure where my stub was at the time. He pulled out his little CB and called for security. I was in absolute shock. The fans behind me were laughing at the situation. I found my stub, gave it to him and he asked me to follow him. The usher with the authority trip then passed me off to a plump, goateed “security guard” who informed me immediately that he was going to “let me off with a warning”.
I asked him what the problem was and his reply was “how do you think the owner of that seat feels?” that you’re sitting in it. My reply was “he obviously could not care less since the fan hasn’t showed up along with the other 20 to 30K that chose to do something better with this beautiful Sunday”.
He made some notation on the back of my ticket and told me to stay out of the section and head to my assigned seat.
At this point, I decided to leave the game. In all of my years of attending sporting events, concerts, etc, never have I been treated so unreasonably, so disrespectfully by anyone employed by the team/venue.
I, like most of the tortured souls in this forum, have been a die-hard Browns fan through it all. I started a Browns Backers Bar in San Francisco, CA a few years ago. In spite of the inept ownership, coaching, and absolute lack of talent…I love the team.
I’m not sure I’ll ever go to another game at CB stadium. I promise you I won’t go to another game until this team is marginally competitive.
A customer service experience like that just confirmed that this is the most poorly managed professional sports organization in business today.
To me it sounds like Randy Lerner is inviting input from any Browns loyal fan who has ideas to improve the franchise. PFT please help get this out publicly, I personally challenge Randy Lerner and/or any part of the Mankok regime to convince me a diehard Browns fan to believe in the direction we are heading. Because I drove 4 hours and spent $70 dollars per ticket (2) plus gas and hotel and food, to watch the nausiating performance against the Packers. So I challenge them to convince me to keep spending hard earned money when this team seems to have no direction, and a leadership who seems unwilling to change an obviouslly bad approach.
lichnor says:
October 30, 2009 10:59 AM
Wow. Talk about lame.
Yea, let’s take an extra 5 minutes to take our seats! That’ll show’em!!!
Then, 10 minutes into the game when the cameras show a full stadium everyone will just think the line at the nacho stand was a bit long.
Way to Stick It To The Man!
Losers.
You’re the loser you f______ jerk! It’s only a protest. What would you do, hire a sniper? Why don’t you jump in front of a moving bus and show us all what a man you are!
“recent,”
Don’t worry. Those fans will have PLENTY of chances to see Cribbs run back kickoffs on Sunday…
“C’mon.. Your not in Cleveland” – Sam Wyche
The Browns need Jeff George.
dan snyder, where are you….?
Just do what the Pittsburgh Pirates do. Buy off your fans with bobbleheads and fireworks, so they keep coming to the game in spite of the endless losing.
There’s one born every minute.
It’s the Browns, who cares ? Talk about a Team who needs to earn some respect.
@bryannati
LOL. That was hilarious!! Thanks for sharing
Protest…won’t work. A few years ago, Baltimore Orioles fans were tired of the owners’ refusal to spend money for talent, so they had a “Free the Birds” rally. Around the 5th inning, thousands stood up and walked out of the stadium. Didn’t help…the O’s still stink.
Hate the Browns, but I get no joy out of seeing them not put up quality opposition to the Steelers. Bores the crap out of me!
Dan Snyder will have the razor wire set up to defend FedUps Field from any form civil protest.
Signs like “God Bless our Troops” are such a threat to The Danny – unless of course a sponser paid The Danny to distribute signs with corporate logos on them.
They looked like they were going in the right direction a couple of years ago but now….. what the hell happened?
I want the Browns to do well because the fans in Cleveland deserve it.
Just don’t do well while playing my Bears this Sunday.
# MitchAlbom’sEars says: October 30, 2009 11:43 AM
Well at least the loser of Lions and Rams will still have 0 wins. See looking at the bright side does make you feel better.
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Dude, sorry to make your “bright side” 50% dimmer, but the Lions beat the Redskins this year.
BeerBarron says:
October 30, 2009 11:53 AM
“C’mon.. Your not in Cleveland” – Sam Wyche
If you are qoing to quote someone, try to get it right. When the Bengal’s fans were throwing things onto the field, he got on the mic and said “You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati.”
Hey at least the guy is acknowledging it. As a Bengal fan, I can relate to the plight of the Browns fan. The NFL should take more control over ownership rights of their teams, and force people to do better or get out of the biz. I was ready for a revolt if this season was another failure in Bengaldom, but look at them as proof that things can turn around. Unfortunately Browns ownership might be looking at the fact that continuity played a part in Cincy, but they should also see when it’s time to cut and run on the mess and start over.
I agree, a guy like Jamal Lewis is a bad omen, and Mangini too…. I just can’t believe how hard it is for these guys to even get lucky here and there and score some damn TD’s. PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE for the love of god guys!
-Bengal fan
”What I can say is that we, and I, have remained open to new and fresh ideas and thinking. . .we won’t become entrenched or stubborn.”
Oh that’s right, Eric Mangini is the model of fresh ideas, open mindednes, and flexibility. I don’t know why I couldn’t see it. Thanks Randy. Go Aston Villa.
yeah, get rid of one of the richest owners right before the uncapped year. sounds about right cleveland.
Make no mistake..the protest is not only about the product on the field, but the stadium experience itself.
When the franchise was revived in 1999, they hired secret service agents to be security at the games. They have the ushers throw you out if you swear or make an obscene gesture. If you stand up they tell you to sit down. And lastly, I had an usher tell me to keep my voice down…at a game….and I wasn’t swearing at the time. That’s what this is all about on top of the horrible team year in and year out.
I know it sucks for you browns fans that your team has been pretty bad as of late and that your front office has made some bad decisions. Either in trading away good players, keeping bad players, drafting bad players, or hiring bad coaches. But you guys IMO should lay off your owner. He is extremely loyal to Cleveland and you fans. When he got the NFL to except another expansion team there were bigger markets and more money in other cities that he could have went to. He could have started fresh and had a brand new team with a brand new name and brand new fans. But he didnt, he brought the Browns and there history back to Cleveland. He upgraded and made your stadium state-of-they-art. So you cant tell the man to sell the team when if it wasnt for him there would be know team in Cleveland to sell. You guys would be stuck with the Ravens 100′s of miles away and probly would only have a chance to watch your favorite NFL team play live every couple of years if ever. So show the man some loyality in return because IMO you owe it to him.
@ Bryannati- Let me get this straight: You’re bitching like a little girl because an usher at Browns stadium wouldn’t let you sit wherever the hell you pleased? You had a ticket that puts you in a particular seat- and you’re whining that, because other seats were empty, he was stupid to be doing his job?
This reminds me of the time I was in Cincinnati and was going 110 on the highway. Some asshole cop pulls me over for speeding! Can you believe it? There was no one else on the road! I wasn’t endangering anyone, so what was *his* problem?? Or how about the time I walked into a McDonalds in Cincitucky and paid for one Big Mac and they wouldn’t give me TWO? Why not? They have plenty!! Jerks!
You gotta love these “inflated sense of entitlement” people. Tools, every one of them.
Your ticket is for a specific seat. Sit in it and shut up. I’m sure that if the usher’s boss had seen him allowing you to sit where you wanted instead of where your ticket dictates, he might have lost his job. I’m sure you’d be fine with that, though, having gotten what you want.
# stairway27 says: October 30, 2009 1:17 PM
# MitchAlbom’sEars says: October 30, 2009 11:43 AM
Well at least the loser of Lions and Rams will still have 0 wins. See looking at the bright side does make you feel better.
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Dude, sorry to make your “bright side” 50% dimmer, but the Lions beat the Redskins this year.
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Funny with so many bad teams this year you forget who actually has won a game.
The anti playoff team standings:
DET – KC -CLEVE > STL – TB – TENN
WAS – OAK – CAR – MIA – SEA – JACK in the mix
NFC:
STL
TB
DET
WASH
CAR
SEA
AFC:
TENN
KC
CLEVE
OAK
MIA
JACK
Maybe Versus can show this playoff format instead of the UFL ?
RT 36 west-Randy Lerner has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Browns return to Cleveland. That was his father’s doing. Randy is just wrecking his daddy’s Porsche. What other NFL owner doesn’t even live in the same state as his team? Yeah, just him.
It’s the internet and anyone can say anything, but I actually know for a fact that RL is not fit to own and run any business.
Idiot, the NFL continued the franchise in Cleveland, not Lerner. His father was granted the right to buy the franchise, or whatever, after the franchise was already set.
I just think it’s funny that you said that so matter of factly, and not one part of it was true.
To the other guy….how did you get that I wasn’t sitting in my seat? I got “yelled at” for standing instead of sitting.
What is wrong with everyone?
What can you really say about his email? Randy Lerner is just so pathetically lost.
SELL THE TEAM!!!