Written by Dave Kolonich

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It must be summer, as the fluff of the season rivals only the pollen count.  Or, in other words, Kwaku Danso makes me sneeze.  However, today let’s turn away from our beloved Cleveland media and look at the contributions of two of our rivals, those from Baltimore and NYC.

They both have something to say, right? 

First, in an effort to further exercise the demons of the past, here’s this piece of fluffery….   

The Baltimore Sun – Art Modell, A True Visionary

Art Modell turns 85 on Wednesday, which is hard to believe of the man who brought football back to Baltimore 14 years ago and healed this city’s broken heart.

“My health is reasonably good,” Modell said. “I’m grateful for that because I went through an awful lot. Two heart attacks. Two strokes. But I came through.

First, is there nothing else going on in Baltimore this time of year?  Or, perhaps the writer of this little fanciful frolic is not allowed to cover real stories?  Either way, somewhere in Baltimore a young journalistic hopeful just switched his or her major to accounting. 

Kevin Cowherd – your job is safe for another day.  Well done.

Anyway – as I correctly forecast last season, the stain of Art Modell is the only thing preventing our current Browns from returning to prominence.  Nevermind the fact that a decade of mismanagement, poor drafting and eternal coaching turnover has created our current malaise.  Instead, the only thing weighing the team down is the inconvenient fact that Modell still lives. 

In other words, call it the Brayon effect of reviled former owners – once Modell goes, so go the Browns.

Although I have to admit – it’s always surprising whenever reports of Modell’s continued existence are still made.  For some reason, I have convinced myself that he actually died years ago.  Just watch Modell ’s rickety and spastic Ravens’ Super Bowl celebration for further proof.  Actually, don’t do that. 

Sometimes, you forget what a giant Modell was in the league’s early years.

Look at all he did. He headed the owners’ labor committee that negotiated the league’s first collective bargaining agreement with the players.

He played an instrumental role in the merger of the NFL and AFL by agreeing to move the Browns to the AFC. He helped broker the contract for ABC’s “Monday Night Football.” And he spearheaded the first TV deals between the league and the networks that made the NFL’s popularity skyrocket.

“There wasn’t anything innovative or new to the game that he wasn’t a part of,” said Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens’ general manager and executive vice president.

Said Modell: “Television was my game. And that was the game that made the league famous. … One thing ‘Monday Night Football’ did: More women were attracted to the game. I’m very proud of that.”

With all that on his resume, it’s hard to believe that Art Modell still isn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Let’s move from the Braylon theory to one I like to call the Ralph Wilson Effect – as in the further away we get from a person’s worthy contributions, the less value we attach to the entire body of work.  But there has to be more to the story, right lazy Baltimore Sun reporter?

It’s still a touchy subject with a lot of people. As beloved as he is in Baltimore, that’s how reviled he is in Cleveland for packing up the revered Brownies and moving them to Baltimore when Cleveland city fathers wouldn’t replace dilapidated Municipal Stadium with a newer facility.

“I’ll never be able to erase the anger in Cleveland,” he said quietly. “And I owe that to the … politicians who betrayed me.”

So even though he was a league visionary, even though his Browns won the NFL championship in 1964, even though his Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000, even though he hired Newsome to be the first African-American general manager in the NFL, Modell is still being penalized by a few Hall of Fame voters for relocating the Browns to Baltimore.

Even then, people listened to Art Modell.

At 85, they should probably still be listening to him today.

Yes, the politicians.  Blame it on them.  How convenient.

Beyond the eternal sucker punch of moving the franchise out of Cleveland and the murky dealings that created the groundwork for doing so, one thing that is constantly overlooked regarding Modell is his complete lack of financial prowess. 

While it’s easy to claim that Modell should be reviled for stealing the team away from the city – which is true – and should not be worthy of the Hall as a result, it’s worth noting that he basically became a terrible businessman in his later years of ownership.

If anything should be Modell’s lasting legacy, it is this.  The Browns, despite years of stadium sellouts, became a financial blackhole under Modell’s watch.  This, from the allegedly innovative owner – the one-time marketing whiz kid who was either unable or unwilling to adapt to the evolution of the league. 

For a contemporary comparison, Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson and Oakland’s Al Davis come to mind.  Although each owner still has their respective moments of league success, it’s worth wondering just what the Browns would have become under Modell’s continued ownership. 

My guess is extinct. 

I can’t think of many 85-year olds who successfully operate within a billion dollar industry.  Which means that if Modell is truly deserving of the Hall, he needs to do something quite remarkable in order to gain entry. 

Such as not live anymore.  Then we can all move on with our lives.

Speaking of moving on…

James Late For His Day

With thousands of hometown fans already gone or leaving “LeBron Appreciation Day,” LeBron James walked through a side gate into nearly empty InfoCision Stadium on the University of Akron’s campus — after the event officially ended. As fans screamed and pushed to get closer, James, who lives a short drive from the university, made his way down to the playing field.

“Akron is my home, it’s my life,” James told the crowd after accepting the city’s first Hometown Hero Award. “Everything I do is for this city. I’m going to continue to do great things. I love every last one of you all. Akron is home.”

James was then escorted through a door to the football team’s locker room and waved to fans before disappearing almost as quickly as he arrived.

Don’t you just love the New York media? 

From the headline alone, you would gather that James has already dumped Northeast Ohio far behind – and in a clear statement of contempt, barely even bothered to show at his own appreciation day. 

Of course, if your center of media gravity is the New York market, then this is a clear indicator that James is already headed to Madison Square Garden to play for the Knicks.  Right?

It’s not like people overanalyze James’ every action or anything.

However, New York petulance aside, what was striking about the Akron celebration was the size of the crowd.  5,000 people?  Really?

I realize it’s summer and people’s priorities are rightfully scattered, but still – only 5,000 people for the alleged second coming?

This again proves my theory that LeBron fans far outweigh actual Cavalier fans.  Or, how about this for a comparison – what if a handful of Browns decided to play some flag football at a similar venue?  Would the attendance triple in size?  Would the NY media care?

Don’t get me wrong - LeBron is great for NE Ohio, but we all know that football is king.

And once Modell finally goes, it’s on.