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Art Modell dies at 87

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000058848/article/art-modell-dies-longtime-brownsravens-owner-was-87?module=HP11_headline_stack

 

Art Modell, the longtime owner of the Baltimore Ravens, died on Thursday, the team confirmed. He was 87.

 

Modell purchased the Cleveland Browns in 1961 for $4 million, an unprecedented sum at that time.

 

Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore in 1996, where he won his first and only Super Bowl title in 2000.

 

Sessler: Modell a major figure

He might be villified in Cleveland, but Art Modell meant a lot to the NFL over his 43 seasons as sole owner of the Browns and Ravens, Marc Sessler writes. More...

In the pre-Super Bowl era, Modell's Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964, defeating the Baltimore Colts 27-0.

 

The Brooklyn, New York-native served as NFL president from 1967 to 1969 and negotiated the NFL's television contracts between 1962 and 1993. He also led negotiations on the NFL's first collective bargaining agreement with its players in 1968.

 

"I believe Art belongs in the Hall of Fame," former New York Giants owner Wellington Mara, now deceased, said in 2002. "I don't think I know a person who has done more for the league than Modell, especially through television."

 

Modell married the actress Patricia Breslin in 1969. She died in October 2011 at the age of 80.

 

Modell sold his majority share of the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti in 2004.

 

Born June 23, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Modell dropped out of high school at age 15 and worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard cleaning out the hulls of ships to help out his financially strapped family after the death of his father.

 

He completed high school in night class, joined the Air Force in 1943, and then enrolled in a television school after World War II. He used that education to produce one of the first regular daytime television programs before moving into the advertising business in 1954.

 

A group of friends led by Modell purchased the Browns in 1961 for $4 million - a figure he called "totally excessive."

 

"You get few chances like this," he said at the time. "To take advantage of the opportunity, you must have money and friends with more."

 

R.I.P

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R.I.P. Art.

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RIP Art.

 

I know many Browns fans were irate at him moving the team to Baltimore, but I have seen Browns fans celebrating his death, and that is not something that should be done for anyone. He did it as a business move, and for all I know was a genuinely good person. The timing of the move stunk because we were starting to come around. I am not saddened by his death, but will not celebrate it either.

 

EDIT: Just read a tweet:

 

"If there's a moment of silence Sunday, Cleveland should be exempt" - To which someone replied "Only to spare some fans from embarrassing themselves"

 

I hope the fans would be respectful of what they are doing, but I also could see a lot of fans not being respectful and booing, etc.

Edited by CribbsForTheWin

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lol @ blaming Art for moving the team, build the dude a stadium and they stay. Not really a hard choice :shrug:

RIP Art Modell.

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Sorry, but I really just don't give a damn. Just because he croaked doesn't mean he should be forgiven.

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lol @ blaming Art for moving the team, build the dude a stadium and they stay. Not really a hard choice :shrug:

RIP Art Modell.

Considering he was offered the chance to get a new stadium and turned it down. It was only when he realized how he screwed up. That he wanted one and then it was too late. Modell was a douche and as a bills fan facing the same thing browns fans did do not feel sad by his passing.

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I guess I could thank him for the stuff in from the 60's- til about the late 80's

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Browns won't do a moment of silence for him.

 

Good. If I was a Browns fan and they did that, I'd scream as loud as I could.

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Both sides fucked up on the browns deal. All in all though they did lose football for 2 years so I can understand the anger.

 

That said they did not have it as bad as Baltimore with Bob Irsay.

 

That said I will forever appreciate BAltimore having football back.

 

R.I.P. Mr. Modell.

 

And like him or not what he did for the sport is undeniable.

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I guess I could thank him for the stuff in from the 60's- til about the late 80's

 

Like firing Paul Brown? Chasing Jim Brown and numerous other players away? Going through coaches like they're pigs on a farm?

 

He did some good for the NFL as a whole but he wasn't exactly the greatest thing that ever happened to the Browns either. In fact, he's probably the worst thing.

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Browns won't do a moment of silence for him.

https://twitter.com/...739477477056514

 

Good. If I was a Browns fan and they did that, I'd scream as loud as I could.

yeah, I'd like to think they'd be respectful because 1) somebody fucking died and 2) he did do a lot of good for the NFL as a whole, I don't think it's too much to say the league might not be where it is today without him, but I can't say I'd blame a Browns' fan for being disrespectful based on what he did to the city

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What Modell did for our league pales in comparison to one franchise. Then again, I'm not a Browns fan. Even if I was, the life and death aspect is so much bigger then football and to make fun of or slander someone over that just means your a shallow and bitter.

Edited by dutchff7

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I wouldn't blame Browns fans for still having hard feelings/not forgiving Modell. They shouldn't be disrespecting his death, but someone passing isn't grounds for forgiveness all the time IMO. Everyone will die at some point, it doesn't make anyone special. Just have respect for his loved ones and dishonor him.

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Like firing Paul Brown? Chasing Jim Brown and numerous other players away? Going through coaches like they're pigs on a farm?

 

He did some good for the NFL as a whole but he wasn't exactly the greatest thing that ever happened to the Browns either. In fact, he's probably the worst thing.

 

I'm not saying I agree with everything he did. Firing Paul Brown is probably one of the worst mistakes an owner has ever made. Even though, the next year they won the championship.

 

But he was a businessman and he made a business decision that turned out to be a good one for him. He was losing quite a bit of money, I wouldn't of been happy either. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean I'm gonna dance on his grave.

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I wouldn't blame Browns fans for still having hard feelings/not forgiving Modell. They shouldn't be disrespecting his death, but someone passing isn't grounds for forgiveness all the time IMO. Everyone will die at some point, it doesn't make anyone special. Just have respect for his loved ones and dishonor him.

 

 

I agree with some situations but life is so much bigger then football. If Browns fans are really still holding that against him / disrespecting him they need to get the stick out of their ass and grow up. Who cares how they feel though,. This man has revolutionized football and has a legacy; also was lucky to die peaceful at 87. From the outside he had a good life. He SHITS on any disgruntled Browns fan even in death because his legacy is so big. They can't touch him.

Edited by dutchff7

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I wonder if you would be singing a different tune if it happened to the Eagles instead there, dutchff7.

 

 

My guess? More than likely.

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Modell was a douche and as a bills fan facing the same thing browns fans did do not feel sad by his passing.

That's a pretty shitty thing to say and a microcosm of so many things that is wrong with today's society.

 

'Hate' is such a strong word and you my friend are passing along too much of by making comments like this. Modell was a human being and in death you bash him for a bad business move that happened how many years ago? I mean, instead of pissing on the man's grave...how about you just say nothing if you're that angry?

 

Sorry Buffalo is too poor of a city to finance a new stadium but holy shit, let's not desecrate Art Modell over it! The man played a huge role in brokering the AFL-NFL merger; he actually broke the impasse between the 2 sides by moving the Browns to the AFC. Played a big role in negotiating the television program that became "Monday Night Football". He also served as Chairman of the Owner's Committee, brokering the first ever CBA.

 

See, this is what you do when somebody dies; you honor the good things...rather than rage about the mistakes they made in life.

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I wonder if you would be singing a different tune if it happened to the Eagles instead there, dutchff7.

 

 

My guess? More than likely.

 

No, not to the extent of celebrating or mocking someones death. I have morals. I would be insanely pissed though but life / death is so much bigger then football.

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That's a pretty shitty thing to say and a microcosm of so many things that is wrong with today's society.

 

'Hate' is such a strong word and you my friend are passing along too much of by making comments like this. Modell was a human being and in death you bash him for a bad business move that happened how many years ago? I mean, instead of pissing on the man's grave...how about you just say nothing if you're that angry?

 

Sorry Buffalo is too poor of a city to finance a new stadium but holy shit, let's not desecrate Art Modell over it! The man played a huge role in brokering the AFL-NFL merger; he actually broke the impasse between the 2 sides by moving the Browns to the AFC. Played a big role in negotiating the television program that became "Monday Night Football". He also served as Chairman of the Owner's Committee, brokering the first ever CBA.

 

See, this is what you do when somebody dies; you honor the good things...rather than rage about the mistakes they made in life.

 

 

It was actually a great business move for him.

Edited by dutchff7

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I guess I just dot believe that dying removes what you've done in your lifetime.

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That's a pretty shitty thing to say and a microcosm of so many things that is wrong with today's society.

 

'Hate' is such a strong word and you my friend are passing along too much of by making comments like this. Modell was a human being and in death you bash him for a bad business move that happened how many years ago? I mean, instead of pissing on the man's grave...how about you just say nothing if you're that angry?

 

Sorry Buffalo is too poor of a city to finance a new stadium but holy shit, let's not desecrate Art Modell over it! The man played a huge role in brokering the AFL-NFL merger; he actually broke the impasse between the 2 sides by moving the Browns to the AFC. Played a big role in negotiating the television program that became "Monday Night Football". He also served as Chairman of the Owner's Committee, brokering the first ever CBA.

 

See, this is what you do when somebody dies; you honor the good things...rather than rage about the mistakes they made in life.

 

Did you spew this nonsense when Osama Bin Laden or Saddam Hussein died and people celebrated their death? Someday Sandusky will die. Should we honor him and his coaching career or delight in the fact that he's dead after making a poor moral decision?

 

You're entitled to your opinion, no matter how ridiculous, but to preach it is another matter altogether.

Edited by Zack_of_Steel
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I guess I just dot believe that dying removes what you've done in your lifetime.

 

What has he "done" in his life time that warrants being mocked at his death? Does him moving a franchise make him a bad person deserving of "hatred" and mockery because of his death? Again, he made a "business" (which was a GREAT business move from a business standpoint) move in a "game". What has to be removed that's so horrible or disgraceful to deserve the slander he's getting at death? I live and breathe football but you guys are holding football to a higher standard then life and death. What he did in his life time (football accomplishments) HEAVILY outweigh what happened in Cleveland. What he did for the league pales in comparison to ONE single franchise.

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Did you spew this nonsense when Osama Bin Laden or Saddam Hussein died and people celebrated their death? Someday Sandusky will die. Should we honor him and his coaching career or delight in the fact that he's dead after making a poor moral decision?

 

You're entitled to your opinion, no matter how ridiculous, but to preach it is another matter altogether.

 

You are comparing terrorist and rapist to a man who committed no criminal charges but made a business move in football :shrug: ? Extreme much?? That was a horrible analogy; world class criminals vs a football icon who helped revolutionize the game that we all know and love. You're comparing honoring / celebrating extreme sinners, terrorists that KILLED people and RAPIST that RAPED KIDS/ Young Adults with a man in football who made a business decision... That's just ridiculous. This man has done more for the league then people give him credit for. He gave us MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!! Also help created the 1st Collective Bargaining Agreement. But that business decision he made with a franchise that was losing loads of money wipes out all of that and makes him a very very bad man :sarcasmalert:

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