That Modell doesn't even make the first cut of HOF balloting.
From long-time Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Tony Grossi. Sounds like he wasn't the only one who sees Modell for what he is.
Tony Grossi: Setting the record straight on my vote against Modell
02/07/02
Officials of the Pro Football Hall of Fame recognized the debate over Art Modell's nomination last week would be a controversial one, so voters were reminded repeatedly that opinions expressed in the meeting room were confidential.
Nothing said in the meeting is supposed to leave the room. Confidentiality promotes an honest and thorough discussion of each nominee's credentials.
"We consider this procedure to be perhaps the most important aspect of our entire process," states a special letter that was sent to each selector prior to the meeting in New Orleans on Saturday.
Because The Plain Dealer honored the confidentiality agreement, editors chose not to disclose the fact that I was the only voter to speak against Modell's nomination in the meeting.
But then the details were leaked to the Baltimore Sun, and the resulting story wasn't completely accurate. So, we believe it's time to set the record straight.
With pleasure.
A little background: A week earlier, I received a call from John Wooten, the former Browns guard and former Ravens scout, who tried to convince me Modell was deserving of induction into the Hall.
"What do you say to a native Clevelander?" I asked Wooten.
I felt then and still do now that as a native Clevelander representing the area on the Hall of Fame selection committee, it was my duty to educate the committee on the total Modell story. It was my duty not as a denizen of the Dawg Pound, but as someone who had knowledge of Modell's place in NFL and Cleveland sports history.
Wooten, a good man, went on a lengthy discourse about how much he loved Cleveland, but he never quite addressed the question.
Last Wednesday in New Orleans, I received a call from Ozzie Newsome, the Hall of Fame Browns tight end, architect of the Ravens championship team, and a friend. He wanted me to hear his feelings about Modell's credentials and his move.
After listening, I said: "I will not vote for Art. I will talk against him in the meeting. I feel it's my responsibility as a native Clevelander to do that. But I will not politick or campaign against him prior to the meeting."
Newsome said: "I appreciate your honesty. That's all I can ask for."
Campaigning does take place on occasion prior to the meeting, and it can do more harm than good. The Ravens took it to the extreme in the week prior to the vote.
Kevin Byrne, the Baltimore Ravens' public relations director, sent all voters - except me - a packet of information that included his perspective of Modell's move and a copy of a pro-Modell perspective written that week by a Baltimore columnist. Wooten phoned several, if not all, of the voters. Even coach Brian Billick made a few calls to friends who were voters.
In the meeting, the discussion on each candidate is initiated by the representative of the city in which the candidate spent the majority of his career. In Modell's case, that assignment fell to me.
At the appropriate time, I stood and announced: "I will not endorse Modell's nomination here today. However, in the interest of fairness to this process and to Modell, I feel those that do support him should speak first."
Six voters stood and talked on behalf of Modell. One by one, they spoke of Modell's contributions to the league - his 31 years as chairman of the NFL broadcast committee, his role in promoting the NFL-AFL merger by agreeing to move his team to the new AFC, his unwavering support of former Commissioner Pete Rozelle during difficult times. One supporter credited Modell with pioneering "Monday Night Football."
On the issue of moving the Browns, Modell's supporters argued that Al Davis moved the Raiders - two times - "and he's in the Hall of Fame." Another made the case that Modell deserves credit for all the new stadiums built in NFL cities - out of fear of losing their team as Cleveland did.
When it came time for me to speak, I was glad my comments were prepared in text form. It was stressful and emotional, but I did not break down, as the Sun reported.
"Let's take a closer look at Art Modell's record," I began. "He fired Paul Brown, he traded Paul Warfield, he released Bernie Kosar in the middle of a season with his team in first place. In his last 21 years in Cleveland, his teams were 13 games under .500. Then he capped it all off by moving the Cleveland Browns out of Cleveland."
I pointed out that to merit the Hall of Fame, a "contributor" has to put the good of the league ahead of his own good - all the time. And when he secretly signed a deal to move the Browns to Baltimore to ensure his team would remain in his family's control, Modell put his self-interests ahead of the league's.
Contrary to his plea of "I had no choice," Modell had two other choices. He could have come clean and clearly stated his financial plight and said he would move if he did not get a new stadium. Or he could have sold the team. Each choice was more honorable than the one he made.
Modell's nomination came down to one question: Did his service to the NFL prior to his move outweigh the critical decision of his career? I argued that it did not.
His role on the TV committee was put in perspective when, in 1993, he sought to give the networks rebates for bad ratings. Modell resigned from the committee under fire, and new owners came back with a contract that increased revenue, and then multiplied it. His move to the AFC was not so bold when one considers the $3 million incentive offered by the league. Pioneer of "Monday Night Football"? He merely offered to host the first game when other owners feared a box office disaster.
I said that time may heal the wounds of Modell's move of the Browns, but the time is not now. "I shudder to think what that ceremony in Canton would be like if Art Modell were put in the Hall of Fame," I concluded.
The vote of 35 selectors (three of the 38 were absent) was conducted after all other nominees were discussed. The first vote knocks down the list of 14 modern-era nominees to 10. It was announced that there was a tie for the 10th spot, increasing the next round to 11. I was shocked that Modell did not make the first cut. Other voters later told me they were turned off by Byrne's campaigning, but, ultimately, they did not feel Modell's credentials were worthy.
As one said, "If he was so worthy, how come he never was nominated before the move?"
As the meeting broke up, Byrne already was being informed of what went on. He was in full spin mode, blaming the rejection on me for holding a grudge against Modell.
He felt that I still blamed Modell for being removed from the Browns beat by The Plain Dealer in 1990 over a controversial story that contained one false paragraph. I was reinstated long after editors involved in the story left the newspaper. It was an unfortunate episode in my career from which I learned a lot and have long put behind me.
Byrne sees my stance on Modell's Hall of Fame nomination as a grudge. I see it as a responsibility.
From long-time Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Tony Grossi. Sounds like he wasn't the only one who sees Modell for what he is.
Tony Grossi: Setting the record straight on my vote against Modell
02/07/02
Officials of the Pro Football Hall of Fame recognized the debate over Art Modell's nomination last week would be a controversial one, so voters were reminded repeatedly that opinions expressed in the meeting room were confidential.
Nothing said in the meeting is supposed to leave the room. Confidentiality promotes an honest and thorough discussion of each nominee's credentials.
"We consider this procedure to be perhaps the most important aspect of our entire process," states a special letter that was sent to each selector prior to the meeting in New Orleans on Saturday.
Because The Plain Dealer honored the confidentiality agreement, editors chose not to disclose the fact that I was the only voter to speak against Modell's nomination in the meeting.
But then the details were leaked to the Baltimore Sun, and the resulting story wasn't completely accurate. So, we believe it's time to set the record straight.
With pleasure.
A little background: A week earlier, I received a call from John Wooten, the former Browns guard and former Ravens scout, who tried to convince me Modell was deserving of induction into the Hall.
"What do you say to a native Clevelander?" I asked Wooten.
I felt then and still do now that as a native Clevelander representing the area on the Hall of Fame selection committee, it was my duty to educate the committee on the total Modell story. It was my duty not as a denizen of the Dawg Pound, but as someone who had knowledge of Modell's place in NFL and Cleveland sports history.
Wooten, a good man, went on a lengthy discourse about how much he loved Cleveland, but he never quite addressed the question.
Last Wednesday in New Orleans, I received a call from Ozzie Newsome, the Hall of Fame Browns tight end, architect of the Ravens championship team, and a friend. He wanted me to hear his feelings about Modell's credentials and his move.
After listening, I said: "I will not vote for Art. I will talk against him in the meeting. I feel it's my responsibility as a native Clevelander to do that. But I will not politick or campaign against him prior to the meeting."
Newsome said: "I appreciate your honesty. That's all I can ask for."
Campaigning does take place on occasion prior to the meeting, and it can do more harm than good. The Ravens took it to the extreme in the week prior to the vote.
Kevin Byrne, the Baltimore Ravens' public relations director, sent all voters - except me - a packet of information that included his perspective of Modell's move and a copy of a pro-Modell perspective written that week by a Baltimore columnist. Wooten phoned several, if not all, of the voters. Even coach Brian Billick made a few calls to friends who were voters.
In the meeting, the discussion on each candidate is initiated by the representative of the city in which the candidate spent the majority of his career. In Modell's case, that assignment fell to me.
At the appropriate time, I stood and announced: "I will not endorse Modell's nomination here today. However, in the interest of fairness to this process and to Modell, I feel those that do support him should speak first."
Six voters stood and talked on behalf of Modell. One by one, they spoke of Modell's contributions to the league - his 31 years as chairman of the NFL broadcast committee, his role in promoting the NFL-AFL merger by agreeing to move his team to the new AFC, his unwavering support of former Commissioner Pete Rozelle during difficult times. One supporter credited Modell with pioneering "Monday Night Football."
On the issue of moving the Browns, Modell's supporters argued that Al Davis moved the Raiders - two times - "and he's in the Hall of Fame." Another made the case that Modell deserves credit for all the new stadiums built in NFL cities - out of fear of losing their team as Cleveland did.
When it came time for me to speak, I was glad my comments were prepared in text form. It was stressful and emotional, but I did not break down, as the Sun reported.
"Let's take a closer look at Art Modell's record," I began. "He fired Paul Brown, he traded Paul Warfield, he released Bernie Kosar in the middle of a season with his team in first place. In his last 21 years in Cleveland, his teams were 13 games under .500. Then he capped it all off by moving the Cleveland Browns out of Cleveland."
I pointed out that to merit the Hall of Fame, a "contributor" has to put the good of the league ahead of his own good - all the time. And when he secretly signed a deal to move the Browns to Baltimore to ensure his team would remain in his family's control, Modell put his self-interests ahead of the league's.
Contrary to his plea of "I had no choice," Modell had two other choices. He could have come clean and clearly stated his financial plight and said he would move if he did not get a new stadium. Or he could have sold the team. Each choice was more honorable than the one he made.
Modell's nomination came down to one question: Did his service to the NFL prior to his move outweigh the critical decision of his career? I argued that it did not.
His role on the TV committee was put in perspective when, in 1993, he sought to give the networks rebates for bad ratings. Modell resigned from the committee under fire, and new owners came back with a contract that increased revenue, and then multiplied it. His move to the AFC was not so bold when one considers the $3 million incentive offered by the league. Pioneer of "Monday Night Football"? He merely offered to host the first game when other owners feared a box office disaster.
I said that time may heal the wounds of Modell's move of the Browns, but the time is not now. "I shudder to think what that ceremony in Canton would be like if Art Modell were put in the Hall of Fame," I concluded.
The vote of 35 selectors (three of the 38 were absent) was conducted after all other nominees were discussed. The first vote knocks down the list of 14 modern-era nominees to 10. It was announced that there was a tie for the 10th spot, increasing the next round to 11. I was shocked that Modell did not make the first cut. Other voters later told me they were turned off by Byrne's campaigning, but, ultimately, they did not feel Modell's credentials were worthy.
As one said, "If he was so worthy, how come he never was nominated before the move?"
As the meeting broke up, Byrne already was being informed of what went on. He was in full spin mode, blaming the rejection on me for holding a grudge against Modell.
He felt that I still blamed Modell for being removed from the Browns beat by The Plain Dealer in 1990 over a controversial story that contained one false paragraph. I was reinstated long after editors involved in the story left the newspaper. It was an unfortunate episode in my career from which I learned a lot and have long put behind me.
Byrne sees my stance on Modell's Hall of Fame nomination as a grudge. I see it as a responsibility.
