Just when you had forgotten him, David Modell reared his ugly head.

 

It happened Saturday night during the premiere of “Believeland,” part of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series.

 

You had to watch the 90-minute program until the very end to see Modell, the son of former Browns owner Art Modell. Sometimes, you save the best for last. That was definitely not the case in “Believeland.”

 

There was Modell, with his infinite wisdom, dismissing the three years Browns fans had to wait to get their team back in 1999 after the original franchise moved to Baltimore following the 1995 season. The way he put it, that time was a veritable blink of an eye. And when it was over, the fans in Cleveland, who, according to Modell, had mistreated his father, had their football team back, courtesy of his father, who, as part of the agreement with the NFL to move to Baltimore, selflessly, courageously and benevolently left the Browns’ name, colors and records.

 

And, just to rub your face in it a little – or a lot – more, David Modell said it pompously to boot. So there. In fact, when you look up “pompous” in the sports dictionary, there’s his photo, complete with that condescending smile we all grew to loathe when he was holding various front-office roles in the Browns organization while at the same time becoming a cartoon character.

 

Yikes!

 

Ever since the Browns went to Baltimore, the Modells have laid of pile of revisionist history so thick that it’s almost believable.

 

Almost.

 

That is, until you begin using your brain, then it becomes drivel.

 

To spew it, you need an expert driveler.

 

And that expert is David Modell.

 

He’s finally found his niche.

 

Thank goodness!

 

Will small wonders never cease?