RIP: Art Modell "Modern era" NFL Pioneer has died

[MrNoBody]

Mr. Modell died early Thursday morning at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was 87.

"I believe very strongly that Art Modell is one of the most important figures in the history of the modern NFL," former NBC-TV president Dick Ebersol said. "He and Pete Rozelle developed the magic formula that married the potential of television to the game."

Monday Night Football: He also was the driving force behind the 1970 contract between the NFL and ABC to televise games on Monday night.
Full AP article @ ESPN

He also served in the USAAF during WWII. :patriot:

[Speedy]

At least he didn't live to see the decline of football which will go the way of boxing. World football is where it's at.

[Acer]

[spoiler=Bitter comment within]
Modell has been dead to Cleveland for 17 years already.
[/spoiler]

[cbelt3]

Clevelanders are pretty conflicted about this. We're trying to be polite, but the whole Browns thing was just too painful.

We'll react the same way when Le Bron dies.

There's something about the Eastern European ethos of the city that means we hold grudges for at least 2-3 generations.

[ztirffritz]

Even in Pittsburgh, where making fun of Browns fans is high art, Art Modell was hated. We missed the Browns so much we lobbied for their replacement.

[datbeme]

cbelt3 wrote:
Clevelanders are pretty conflicted about this. We're trying to be polite, but the whole Browns thing was just too painful.

We'll react the same way when Le Bron dies.

There's something about the Eastern European ethos of the city that means we hold grudges for at least 2-3 generations.

As a former Clevelander I am still a Cavs fan, and I have no ill will for Le Bron. As a FORMER Browns fan, let's just leave it as that.

[Mac-A-Matic]

Clevelanders have Bob Irsay and Indianapolis to blame for their loss of the Browns. But unlike the Colts, Cleveland got to keep its team.

[MrNoBody]

Mac-A-Matic wrote:
Clevelanders have Bob Irsay and Indianapolis to blame for their loss of the Browns. But unlike the Colts, Cleveland got to keep its team.

Not an Irsay fan but let's not forget to include then Cleveland Mayor (and now alpaca farmer) Michael White and his two (convicted felons) bag men Nate Gray and Ricardo Teamor. White's refusal to negotiate with the Browns & NFL forced Modell's hand. Seems Mayor White was more interested in the kickbacks he was receiving from other Cleveland area projects (The Plain Dealer, July 21, 2005).

[RgrF]

MrNoBody wrote:
[quote=Mac-A-Matic]
Clevelanders have Bob Irsay and Indianapolis to blame for their loss of the Browns. But unlike the Colts, Cleveland got to keep its team.

Not an Irsay fan but let's not forget to include then Cleveland Mayor (and now alpaca farmer) Michael White and his two (convicted felons) bag men Nate Gray and Ricardo Teamor. White's refusal to negotiate with the Browns & NFL forced Modell's hand. Seems Mayor White was more interested in the kickbacks he was receiving from other Cleveland area projects (The Plain Dealer, July 21, 2005).
Bob Kraft tried that with Massachusetts, they said go take a hike we're not fronting the Patriots a new stadium. He threatened to take his team to Connecticut. After Connecticut blinked, Mass consented to some new road improvements and Kraft found another bond free way to construct Gillette Stadium.

Cities, counties and states should NOT be in the business of subsidizing sports teams of any stripe but especially NFL teams. Municipalities who've done this are suckers of the worst sort since they are laying unneeded tax burdens in the form of bond payments on locals to pay for the private use of by profit making entities.

The NFL the most successful league in sports history, why would anyone want to spend taxpayer dollars to support them after owners, with a Green Bay exception, have only shown loyalty to areas and fans when it suits their own very narrow purposes.

Even worse, the NFL is a socialist organization. They pool all monies and distribute them equally to all clubs. If MLB proposed that, the Yankees (in a publicly financed stadium) and Red Sox might decide to secede.

Who in their right mind thinks it's in the best interest of local taxpayers to underwrite stadium bonds for socialist organizations?

[Acer]

On the plus side, the NFL's "socialism" does better at maintaining parity so that a few monied teams, like the Yankees, don't dominate the game decade after decade.

However, I agree that there's enough money already in the game that stadiums need not be publicly financed.