Sadly, we had a few choices to memorialize this week as the world also lost Michael Clarke Duncan. But I chose to go with NFL owner Art Modell.
Modell is one of the more fascinating and interesting sports figures of all time. Modell started his professional life in PR and TV. Then in 1961 he purchased the NFL's Cleveland Browns franchise for $4 million. He immediately took an active role in team operations firing legendary coach Paul Brown in 1963. In 1964 under his management the team went on to win the NFL Championship game.
But Modell had two much larger stories in his life.
First he used his back round in TV to help start the process of networks bidding for NFL programming. This is the foundation that led to the current boom in TV rights sales that has ESPN paying a billion dollars to the NFL just to show Monday Night Football.
Second is the sadder side of Modell. Modell was apparently not the greatest person with money. And he constantly struggled with his finances. Under the terms that he purchased the Browns for, he was the land lord of Cleveland's stadium which also hosted the city's MLB team the Indians. Thus he received the opportunity to have income from a second professional sports franchise. However do to his need to continue to squeeze the Indians for as much money as possible to help his own financial situation, the Indians asked for and received a new stadium from the city. This led to a loss of revenue for Modell.
Still financially strapped and playing in a stadium with no luxury boxes Modell went to city leaders with desire for them to build his NFL franchise a new stadium. The city said no. Modell told city leaders that he needed a new stadium to ensure the Browns franchise would be able to remain in Cleveland. But again officials told Modell no.
With his family secretly close to bankruptcy, Modell was able to strike a deal with the city of Baltimore and the NFL to move the team there. In exchange for breaking his lease with the city, Modell agreed to leave the name and records with the city of Cleveland to be used when an expansion team was able to be located there a few years later. Modell was alowed to take his players and personnel with him to Baltimore to start a new (as far as records are concerned) as the Raven's. Cleveland fans were angry and bitter and still have never forgiven or fully healed from this action despite receiving a replacement franchise in 1999.
Despite his Ravens winning the 2001 Superbowl, Modell was still not able to get his financials situated and in 2003 the NFL ordered Modell to sell a majority interest in the Ravens.
Two semi local ties to this story are: Baltimore was searching for an NFL franchise to replace the Colts. Which had left the city to relocate to Indianapolis. Second, because they were an expansion franchise, the new Cleveland Browns were given the number one draft pick of the 1999 NFL draft where they selected former UK quarterback Tim Couch.
Modell died early Thursday morning at the age of 87.
Now on to the news:
- I'll start with the news that most of us can all agree that we hate to hear. But Riverfields is at it again. They have amended their lawsuit and continue to annoy all but a few Louisville "East Enders" with their desire to halt an east end bridge and continue with only a downtown bridge. Officials say they have no intention of stopping which sounds like good news to me and lets hope that the lawsuits just end up being a huge waste of THEIR money. You can read the N/T story here.
-In other news, the council once again had to swat Mikey boy away again as this time they overrode his pocket veto on the Capital Purchases ordinance. You know when this administration began, I started one of those little "dash counter" things on my wall whenever there was an override. Its been filling up my wall very fast.
-The Oracle was on fire this week. He reported that: 1. Mikey has told Matt Owen he will need to apologize for his request of city computer logs and 2. That if the election was now, Tom Galligan would run again. You can read all of Oracle's great stuff here.
Just quick reaction to these items. If Matt Owen is wrong, he still owes no one an apology. And I don't believe that he is completely wrong at worst. And two, while no one would love to see Galligan be mayor again more than JAML, I do have some concerns about his electability. But I'll go into that more fully sometime later.
-Kelley doesn't like some of the language or some of the photos of "wimmens" posted on Gawnews. Well I've been able to locate a picture of what I'm told could be Kelley and this would explain it all:
-Finally, Clark County Councilman Danny Yost and his wife, Mary, were arrested for domestic battery after having a fight over a laptop. Sources say that they were both anxious to check the JAML blog to see if he had returned from his vacation weekend.
That will wrap it up. Remember to like the FB page for updates to the blog. And check back Tuesday for a little remembrance of 9/11. See ya then.
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