Praise Haslam – I’ve come to praise Haslam not bury him
By STEVE KING
No one has been harder on Jimmy Haslam for the job he has done – or the lack thereof, as it were – as owner of the Browns.
And that’s more than fair – looking back, I probably should have been harder on him, quicker – for it has not exactly been a sterling run, to say the least, since he purchased the team in 2012.
But to be fair – there’s that word again – I have to also praise Haslam when he is deserving of such. To do anything but that would compromise one of the main themes of brownsdailydose.com, and that is to tell the truth as I see it so as to provide a balanced look at this team. I’m not into sensationalizing anything to trick you into reading what I write.
With that having been said, then, this is one of those occasions to praise Haslam. For the first time in his tenure in Cleveland, Haslam goes to the annual NFL owners meetings, which begin Sunday and continue through the first part of Wednesday, on the heels of the realization that he did something right, positive – extremely right and positive.
And what is that?
The fact he hired John Dorsey as general manager. It may be the thing that saves his ownership.
In his 15 months here, Dorsey, of course, has quickly and dramatically rebuilt the Browns from one that went 1-31 over two years into one that is the pick by some to make it to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season.
There was really no one in the organization who had the expertise to consult him. So he had to do this on his own. He had to figure it out himself. Another misfire in hiring a GM – Sashi Brown, Ray Farmer and Mike Lombardi were his first three tries – and the Browns might have sunk further, if that’s possible.
But instead, Haslam hit the middle of the target – finally, thankfully and just in the nick of time.
ENOUGH ALREADY OF THE MOANING AND GROANING IN NEW ORLEANS
One of the ideas that is expected to be discussed at the ongoing annual NFL owners meeting is the use of an eye-in the-sky type of camera to be used specifically to review possible pass interference calls.
That idea, of course, comes as a result of the alleged missed pass interference penalty against the Los Angeles Rams late in last season’s NFC Championship Game that really damaged the New Orleans Saints’ chances to beat them. The Rams held on to win 26-23 in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl, where they lost 13-3 to the New England Patriots.
The Saints – from the top of the organization to the bottom – and their fans – from the most loyal ones to the casual ones — haven’t quit whining and crying about the play since then.
I get it. But I also get that enough is enough already. I am sick and tired of hearing about it, and I think that a lot of other people outside New Orleans are, too.
In this irresponsible world in which we live, no one wants to own up to their own faults and failings when something negative happens, which is exactly why the Saints and their following refuse – absolutely, positively refuse – to consider the fact that the team, after bolting to a 13-0 lead at home, no less, went to sleep on offense – especially offense – and defense from that point on.
It wasn’t that one call that beat the Saints. It was the Saints who beat the Saints.
Period. End of statement.
Now, did that apparent missed call hurt the Saints’ cause? Of course. But it was just one call. It wasn’t as if the Saints got the short end of the calls throughout the game.
Good teams work through bad calls. The Saints just weren’t good enough.
Sorry, Saints fans, but that’s the truth. The truth hurts sometimes, and this is one of those times.
But the long-ago Browns and their fans know something about this type of thing, but they haven’t said much of anything since it occurred.
I’ll end that virtual silence in my next post.
Bonus: The Stark Sports Report
