ESPN: Owners we love to hate

[RShack]

Well, why didn't the league make Irsay keep the Colts name in Baltimore?

Because they were dopes. In retrospect, they knew it was a mistake, and they decided to not repeat it. CLE was the beneficiary of their belated-wisdom.

When we got the team that became the Ravens, they contacted the Indy Colts about buying the name back. The price was too high, so they gave up on it. My idea at the time was that they should call the team the "Baltimore Hoosiers", and then offer to trade them even-up ;-)

[sangell2007]

Because they were dopes. In retrospect, they knew it was a mistake, and they decided to not repeat it. CLE was the beneficiary of their belated-wisdom.

When we got the team that became the Ravens, they contacted the Indy Colts about buying the name back. The price was too high, so they gave up on it. My idea at the time was that they should call the team the "Baltimore Hoosiers", and then offer to trade them even-up ;-)

To go along with my thread on the Hangout Club board, I did see some official merchandise (no jerseys) on ebay that used the short-lived moniker "Baltimore CFL Colts."

I'm not saying that Modell shouldn't be on the list, or that Irsay necessarily should be #1, but it's ridiculous to have Art ahead of Bobby. Art is hated in Cleveland, understandably so I think. But he did more for the NFL than nearly any man off the field in its history. Bob Irsay did nothing positive. His own mother seemed to hate his guts. He is public enemy #1 in Baltimore 23 years later and several years after his death. Why this is even a debate is beyond me.

[geschinger]

Because they were dopes. In retrospect, they knew it was a mistake, and they decided to not repeat it. CLE was the beneficiary of their belated-wisdom.

When we got the team that became the Ravens, they contacted the Indy Colts about buying the name back. The price was too high, so they gave up on it. My idea at the time was that they should call the team the "Baltimore Hoosiers", and then offer to trade them even-up ;-)

This is a bit of an overstatement. Teams that moved prior and after the Colts kept their names. I believe the reason Cle is partly that Baltimore did not want to do to the Cleveland what was done to them and partly that unlike the vast majority of other franchise moves (including the Colts) the fan support was there in Cleveland. The NFL recognized from day one that the city could/would support another franchise.

Irsay probably does deserve to be at the top of the list but I will give him credit... He set a good example for his son (to learn how not to run a team) and Irsay the younger is one of the games better owners.

[RShack]

This is a bit of an overstatement. Teams that moved prior and after the Colts kept their names.

After the Colts moved, the the Browns were the only team to move where the entire local community was upset by it. The Colts and the Browns were the only ones who moved during that time period where people screamed bloody murder about losing long-standing local tradition.

[DrungoHazewood]

Congrats on being the only person to actually comment on Griffith's statements.

I thought it was pretty well known that Griffith was racist. As stunning as that statement would be today, it was probably less so in the late 70s, and when Griffith was growing up stuff like that was pretty commonplace. Remember, when I was born (and I'm only 36) the school down the street from me was still known as the black high school because it was a segregated school only a few years before. We still have active Congressmen such as Robert Byrd who were members of the Klan.

Calvin Griffith was raised by Clark Griffith, who was born four years after the end of the Civil War, right in the middle of Reconstruction.

Doesn't make what he said right, but in context it's not that stunning.

[rolliefingers]

To go along with my thread on the Hangout Club board, I did see some official merchandise (no jerseys) on ebay that used the short-lived moniker "Baltimore CFL Colts."

I'm not saying that Modell shouldn't be on the list, or that Irsay necessarily should be #1, but it's ridiculous to have Art ahead of Bobby. Art is hated in Cleveland, understandably so I think. But he did more for the NFL than nearly any man off the field in its history. Bob Irsay did nothing positive. His own mother seemed to hate his guts. He is public enemy #1 in Baltimore 23 years later and several years after his death. Why this is even a debate is beyond me.

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[rolliefingers]

I thought it was pretty well known that Griffith was racist. As stunning as that statement would be today, it was probably less so in the late 70s, and when Griffith was growing up stuff like that was pretty commonplace. Remember, when I was born (and I'm only 36) the school down the street from me was still known as the black high school because it was a segregated school only a few years before. We still have active Congressmen such as Robert Byrd who were members of the Klan.

Calvin Griffith was raised by Clark Griffith, who was born four years after the end of the Civil War, right in the middle of Reconstruction.

Doesn't make what he said right, but in context it's not that stunning.

I had never heard it before, and I guess I was reading it with today's eyes, and just...whoa.

I will say this, though: I'm sure there are a lot of people who still feel that way about black people today, but who are too cowardly to say so in public. I'm not much for telling people not to say what they think (e.g. Don Imus), so I have to give Griffith some perverse...credit?...for saying what he thought. As horrible as it is, at least you know which side he was on.

[sangell2007]

BustaJ2632 has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.

Done, sorry.

[TGO]

Dollar Bill Wirtz died.

[Miller192]

I have no particular opinion about Modell, one way or the other, but I don't understand why you'd say that. I don't know how Modell "left Cleveland in much better shape".

AFAIK, the main reason Cleveland got to keep the Browns name and records is the widespread recognition that Irsay was a scumbag and that the big mistake in Irsay's case was that the NFL failed to let Baltimore keep the Colts name and records. I'd say it was the sad tale of what Irsay did to the Baltimore Colts that left Cleveland in much better shape to keep its NFL tradition... not anything Modell did for Cleveland...

Modell made an agreement with Cleveland and the NFL that he would keep the Browns' legacy in Cleveland if the NFL would grant him a new franchise in Baltimore. As part of that agreement, the Cleveland Football Trust was created which retained all the rights to the Browns, and essentially guaranteed Cleveland a new team.

Irsay did just the opposite. He kicked and screamed to take his Colts heritage to Indiananpolis.