Cleveland Browns fans spent the years between 2002 and 2011 with the singular idea that “anyone but Randy Lerner” would be a good choice as owner of the city’s No. 1 sports team.
That dream became a reality in 2012 when Jimmy and Dee Haslam bought the Browns from Lerner.
It all sounded good at the time, but reality can often be a cruel mistress. In the 14 years that the Haslams have owned the team, the Browns have made the playoffs twice, while posting nine seasons with double-digit losses.
The team
appears to be slowly turning a corner, with what looks like the second consecutive solid draft, a new head coach, and the unquestioned best defensive player in the league, Myles Garrett. Sure, the quarterback situation is still a disaster, but, as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
The other issue remains ownership, who, while always having a checkbook at the ready, also has had a difficult time staying out of the way and allowing the football guys to do what they are paid to do.
A small change could be coming on that front, however, courtesy of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, who are coming off a disappointing 32-win season that signaled the end of Doc Rivers’ tenure as head coach.
The Haslams own a 25 percent stake in the Bucks, and during Wednesday’s press conference to introduce new head coach Taylor Jenkins, Haslam revealed that the time has come for him to take a greater interest in the fortunes of the Bucks (quote courtesy of cleveland.com):
“Do I think we’ll be here more? I do. And very, very excited to continue working with (GM) Jon (Horst), and we’ve already established a great relationship with Taylor — to work with he and the guys to build the kind of team that this community deserves.”
Haslam also emphasized that he is all about collaboration with co-owner Wes Edens, Horst, and Jenkins.
If that all sounds like a variation of the accountability talk that Haslam uses every time he makes a coaching or general manager change with the Browns, well, you would not be wrong.
Look, no one ever said that owning a pro sports team was easy. Plenty of smart and/or rich people have tried and struggled, so there is no shame in that. But it also seems unreal at times that the Browns can be as bad as they have been for so long in a league where everyone is basically on an even playing field.
Ultimately, this may be the best thing for the Browns. Between focusing more on the Bucks and shepherding the project to build a new stadium and entertainment complex in Berea, Haslam’s plate is going to be very full. That means general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Todd Monken might be able to focus on building the team without fear of any interference or unexpected course corrections.
As for Bucks fans? Good luck; you may be in for a rocky time.
