A Football Life: Cleveland '95

[BMORElegacy]

Next weeks A Football Life will delve into the climate that surrounded the 95 Browns...

I have a feeling that my blood will be boiling the whole show especially since I expect them to drag Art's name through the mud.

Yet another opportunity for Browns fans to show their classless nature.

[BMORElegacy]

Here's the promo: http://www.nfl.com/videos/cleveland-browns/0ap2000000066819/A-Football-Life-1995-Cleveland-Browns

[Cville-Raven]

Its something that was created to make Browns fans feel good, and Ravens fans feel bad. That team still sucked though when they came here. Obviously it was a different coaching staff, but same team.

[redrum52]

[quote name='Cville-Raven' timestamp='1348782813' post='1169378']
Its something that was created to make Browns fans feel good, and Ravens fans feel bad. That team still sucked though when they came here. Obviously it was a different coaching staff, but same team.
[/quote]

I don't think so. I actually think they will probably give Moddell his share of credit and maybe shed light on why he did what he did. I don't think they try to do anything but show what that team went through that year. It's funny though cause the only group that seems not tot be doing well from that them is
.. THE BROWNS. HAHAHA

[Bltravens]

I caught the tail end of the promo on tv. It was insane to see some of the young coaches they had on their staff at the time. Like absolute future powerhouse coaches.

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='Bltravens' timestamp='1348807819' post='1171699']
I caught the tail end of the promo on tv. It was insane to see some of the young coaches they had on their staff at the time. Like absolute future powerhouse coaches.
[/quote]Don't tell Dolphins fans that!

[T3hRaven]

[quote name='Bltravens' timestamp='1348807819' post='1171699']
I caught the tail end of the promo on tv. It was insane to see some of the young coaches they had on their staff at the time. Like absolute future powerhouse coaches.
[/quote]

I wonder what would've happened if we kept Belichick during the move.

[Bltravens]

[quote name='T3hRaven' timestamp='1348844431' post='1172165']
I wonder what would've happened if we kept Belichick during the move.
[/quote]
Dy-nasty. Emphasis on the nasty.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='BMORElegacy' timestamp='1348782073' post='1169371']
Next weeks A Football Life will delve into the climate that surrounded the 95 Browns...

I have a feeling that my blood will be boiling the whole show especially since I expect them to drag Art's name through the mud.

Yet another opportunity for Browns fans to show their classless nature.
[/quote]

[color=#222222][font='Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=4][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]

No way they drag Arts name through the mud, c'mon. Lol, calm down.

This will be about a team that could have been.........not about Baltimore or classless Browns fans. I cant wait to see it.[/background][/size][/font][/color]

[CorvusCorax]

I actually want to see this. I want to see what happened well before I became a fan of football and the Ravens.

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1348844642' post='1172172']


[font=Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]No way they drag Arts name through the mud, c'mon. Lol, calm down.

This will be about a team that could have been.........not about Baltimore or classless Browns fans. I cant wait to see it.[/font]
[/quote]Meh, I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure it'll be warped into some story line that Art stole a championship from the city and that the 2000 Ravens should have been the 2000 Browns.

[Super-PAT]

The last head coach to win a playoff game for the Browns was Bill Belichick. I really think that team was on the upswing.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='Super-PAT' timestamp='1348860310' post='1172484']
The last head coach to win a playoff game for the Browns was Bill Belichick. I really think that team was on the upswing.
[/quote]

That's pretty much what the commercial alludes to.

[Super-PAT]

I havn't seen any of the commercials for it, I don't have cable or watch TV much.

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='Super-PAT' timestamp='1348866304' post='1172580']
I havn't seen any of the commercials for it, I don't have cable or watch TV much.
[/quote]I posted the promo as the second comment.

[JO_75]

[quote name='T3hRaven' timestamp='1348844431' post='1172165']
I wonder what would've happened if we kept Belichick during the move.
[/quote]

BB as Head Coach and Ozzie as GM? DYNAMITE!

[T3hRaven]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1348893877' post='1172844']
BB as Head Coach and Ozzie as GM? DYNAMITE!
[/quote]

The question then becomes would #12 have wound up in purple and black as well.

[cobrajet]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1348893877' post='1172844']
BB as Head Coach and Ozzie as GM? DYNAMITE!
[/quote]
We replaced BB with Uncle Teddy, what were we thinking?

BTW, No way Ozzie would have allowed the taping scandal to happen here either.

[JO_75]

Does anyone know why BB didn't come over to Baltimore? Was he offered the Patriots job in 1995 or what?

Though I have a bad feeling this documentary is going to be one that will not put Modell in a good light at all and that this will be used to bash him more. This will be interesting to see but I'm worried they are going to drag Modell's name through the mud.

[T3hRaven]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1348938274' post='1173065']
Does anyone know why BB didn't come over to Baltimore? Was he offered the Patriots job in 1995 or what?
[/quote]

I believe he said he was willing to coach the team still after the move was announced and then Modell fired him a week later.

[wikle]

We need to stop being so negative about this, it will probably be positive and talk about how the move helped the careers of the coaches there. There were too many strong personalities on that coaching staff for it to work anyways

[Purple Nurple]

I'll be shocked if Arts name is fouled by this. This soon after his passing and on NFL network? No way. They may show fans reactions, but that's not the program dissing him, it's individuals....and it happened.

[cde48]

I am posting on here as a Cleveland Browns fan, not to disrespect Baltimore, fans, or the Ravens. To be honest, there are not a lot of Browns fans that are as upset with Ravens fans, or Baltimore, as there are with Art. The City of Cleveland gave Art the opportunity to get a new stadium as part of the Gateway Project, or refurb Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Both of which he denied. He was leasing Cleveland Municipal Stadium from the city, for $1 a year. Yes, $1 a year. Art's biggest problem was that he was broke, and couldn't swallow his pride and just sell the Browns to an owner that wanted them to stay in Cleveland.

He thought by going to Baltimore, that his debts would be wiped clean, and it will bring him a championship. It brought him a championship, but his financial problems were still a mess. Thus, the NFL had to step in a few years later, and made him sell the team to Mr. Bisciotti. He was broke. Ozzie says in the film, that he (Art) left because he wanted to win a championship, not because the city wouldn't work with him. I honestly think that if Art sold the team, the Browns would've still had Bill Belicheck, and most likely would've been on their way to the Super Bowl. If Art wanted to then buy a new club and open it in Baltimore, I honestly think the struggles would be in Baltimore, not in Cleveland, now. But, that is speculation. I just don't think that Art wanted another owner to win a Super Bowl with the Browns, and he couldn't let that go.

Again, I'm not saying this to start anything, I'm saying it from first hand perspective, as a fan of the original Browns, and current club. Best of luck the rest of the way!

[I_HAD_NO_CHOICE]

I watched it last night. Rest easy Raven fans, your beloved football deliverer's name and reputation outside of Northeast Ohio remains pure as the driven snow. Although he's now on record for firing both Paul Brown AND Bill Belichik in his lifetime. CAW!

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='cde48' timestamp='1349377100' post='1176935']
I am posting on here as a Cleveland Browns fan, not to disrespect Baltimore, fans, or the Ravens. To be honest, there are not a lot of Browns fans that are as upset with Ravens fans, or Baltimore, as there are with Art. The City of Cleveland gave Art the opportunity to get a new stadium as part of the Gateway Project, or refurb Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Both of which he denied. He was leasing Cleveland Municipal Stadium from the city, for $1 a year. Yes, $1 a year. Art's biggest problem was that he was broke, and couldn't swallow his pride and just sell the Browns to an owner that wanted them to stay in Cleveland.

He thought by going to Baltimore, that his debts would be wiped clean, and it will bring him a championship. It brought him a championship, but his financial problems were still a mess. Thus, the NFL had to step in a few years later, and made him sell the team to Mr. Bisciotti. He was broke. Ozzie says in the film, that he (Art) left because he wanted to win a championship, not because the city wouldn't work with him. I honestly think that if Art sold the team, the Browns would've still had Bill Belicheck, and most likely would've been on their way to the Super Bowl. If Art wanted to then buy a new club and open it in Baltimore, I honestly think the struggles would be in Baltimore, not in Cleveland, now. But, that is speculation. I just don't think that Art wanted another owner to win a Super Bowl with the Browns, and he couldn't let that go.

Again, I'm not saying this to start anything, I'm saying it from first hand perspective, as a fan of the original Browns, and current club. Best of luck the rest of the way!
[/quote]I'm sorry, but you'll garner little sympathy from a city and fanbase that was ROBBED of their own storied franchise. We could argue back and forth about who was wronged more and all that jazz, but you will never convince me that what Mr. Modell did to Cleveland is even in the same realm of what Irsay did to our Colts. You weren't left wondering if or when you'd get football back. Cleveland KNEW they'd get a new team upon league expansion. The Browns didn't leave under the darkness of night in the back of a Mayflower moving truck. The move was announced midway through the season. And you weren't forced to watch a city claim your legends, championships, and records as their own like we've had to do. Indianapolis fans actually had the gall to wear Unitas jerseys and claim our Super Bowl as theirs before Manning was drafted and able to get them one of their own (THEY STILL DO THOUGH). The Browns colors, records, and championships all remained in the city for when a new team was created a couple years later.

If you want to be angry at somebody, be angry at the Irsays. If they didn't steal our franchise in the 80s there wouldn't have been a market for you team in the 90s.

[Cville-Raven]

[quote name='cde48' timestamp='1349377100' post='1176935']
I am posting on here as a Cleveland Browns fan, not to disrespect Baltimore, fans, or the Ravens. To be honest, there are not a lot of Browns fans that are as upset with Ravens fans, or Baltimore, as there are with Art. The City of Cleveland gave Art the opportunity to get a new stadium as part of the Gateway Project, or refurb Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Both of which he denied. He was leasing Cleveland Municipal Stadium from the city, for $1 a year. Yes, $1 a year. Art's biggest problem was that he was broke, and couldn't swallow his pride and just sell the Browns to an owner that wanted them to stay in Cleveland.

He thought by going to Baltimore, that his debts would be wiped clean, and it will bring him a championship. It brought him a championship, but his financial problems were still a mess. Thus, the NFL had to step in a few years later, and made him sell the team to Mr. Bisciotti. He was broke. Ozzie says in the film, that he (Art) left because he wanted to win a championship, not because the city wouldn't work with him. I honestly think that if Art sold the team, the Browns would've still had Bill Belicheck, and most likely would've been on their way to the Super Bowl. If Art wanted to then buy a new club and open it in Baltimore, I honestly think the struggles would be in Baltimore, not in Cleveland, now. But, that is speculation. I just don't think that Art wanted another owner to win a Super Bowl with the Browns, and he couldn't let that go.

Again, I'm not saying this to start anything, I'm saying it from first hand perspective, as a fan of the original Browns, and current club. Best of luck the rest of the way!
[/quote]I absolutely respect your oppinion and the Film does Cleveland justice. My only real gripe with it is that at some point it seems that they make our 2001 SB run as if it should have been Clevelands. We had a different coaching staff, different players, and a whole different culture. Just my oppinion....

Hopefully Haslam can get you guys on track.

[berad]

[quote name='I_HAD_NO_CHOICE' timestamp='1349386642' post='1177029']
I watched it last night. Rest easy Raven fans, your beloved football deliverer's name and reputation outside of Northeast Ohio remains pure as the driven snow. Although he's now on record for firing both Paul Brown AND Bill Belichik in his lifetime. CAW!
[/quote]

Doesn't matter, won Super Bowl

[JO_75]

[quote name='BMORElegacy' timestamp='1349386978' post='1177030']
I'm sorry, but you'll garner little sympathy from a city and fanbase that was ROBBED of their own storied franchise. We could argue back and forth about who was wronged more and all that jazz, but you will never convince me that what Mr. Moddell did to Cleveland is even in the same realm of what Irsay did to our Colts. You weren't left wondering if or when you'd get football back. Cleveland KNEW they'd get a new team upon league expansion. The Browns didn't leave under the darkness of night in the back of a Mayflower moving truck. The move was announced midway through the season. And you weren't forced to watch a city claim your legends, championships, and records as their own like we've had to do. Indianapolis fans actually had the gall to wear Unitas jerseys and claim our Super Bowl as theirs before Manning was drafted and able to get them one of their own (THEY STILL DO THOUGH). The Browns colors, records, and championships all remained in the city for when a new team was created a couple years later.

If you want to be angry at somebody, be angry at the Irsays. If they didn't steal our franchise in the 80s there wouldn't have been a market for you team in the 90s.
[/quote]

AMEN! Blame The Irsays Cleveland, not Modell.

[Dfence4champs2052]

[quote name='Bltravens' timestamp='1348807819' post='1171699']
I caught the tail end of the promo on tv. It was insane to see some of the young coaches they had on their staff at the time. Like absolute future powerhouse coaches.
[/quote]

Yes, I was amazed at the depth of coaching talent from Belicheck's coaching tree. I thought I knew since I'm a fan of him as a coach (not the Pats). No idea some of the people that came up under him. I DVR'd the show lol.

[cde48]

[quote name='BMORElegacy' timestamp='1349386978' post='1177030']
I'm sorry, but you'll garner little sympathy from a city and fanbase that was ROBBED of their own storied franchise. We could argue back and forth about who was wronged more and all that jazz, but you will never convince me that what Mr. Moddell did to Cleveland is even in the same realm of what Irsay did to our Colts. You weren't left wondering if or when you'd get football back. Cleveland KNEW they'd get a new team upon league expansion. The Browns didn't leave under the darkness of night in the back of a Mayflower moving truck. The move was announced midway through the season. And you weren't forced to watch a city claim your legends, championships, and records as their own like we've had to do. Indianapolis fans actually had the gall to wear Unitas jerseys and claim our Super Bowl as theirs before Manning was drafted and able to get them one of their own (THEY STILL DO THOUGH). The Browns colors, records, and championships all remained in the city for when a new team was created a couple years later.

If you want to be angry at somebody, be angry at the Irsays. IfI they didn't steal our franchise in the 80s there wouldn't have been a market for you team in the 90s.
[/quote]

I'm not looking for sympathy here. I'm just stating a fact that Art could've sold the team, since he knew that he was going bust. It's different than Irsay because he (Irsay) had the money to stay, and should've. Art knew he was going to have to eventually sell the team because he could not afford it. So why not sell it to someone, instead of relocate? He couldn't swallow his pride.

As far as Colts fans wearing Unitas Jerseys, now that is classless!