Open Rants by Browns Hat

Here we are, infamy. Zero wins, 16 losses. 1 and 32 in two seasons. You know most of the history of the Browns; once proud juggernauts of the league eons ago now relegated to permanent punchline. I need to write down some harsh realities. I'll save the rest of that rant for another time because you've read a lot of it elsewhere and get to what I need to say.

THIS ISN'T BOTTOM

People seem convinced this is at least the leveling out of bad, we can only go up from bottom afterall. No you don't have to go up. You can go under the rock and die. This isn't rock bottom, rock bottom is coming and we're going down from there. The dysfunction is no where close to ending. The heart of the Browns problems sit with the ownership named Jimmy Haslam currently under investigation for a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme run by his family's company Pilot Flying J. Haslam is currently staring down the very real possibility of federal prison time. Unless the league suddenly cares about the ethics of running scams (they don't) Jimmy could continue from prison. An owner in prison however is not the rock bottom that this team is falling quickly towards.

John Dorsey has signed up for an impossible task.He's left with a roster that if it has any talent has been brutally demoralized out of it. If Hue Jackson ever had "The Magic" it's gone now. The hope is not the future. The future isn't coming. Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold have both hinted at a very real possibility; the top QB picked refuses to sign. They have that option and it's entirely within their right. Why work for an organization run by an flagrantly incompetent moron? I sit currently convinced that this is going to happen no matter who the QB is. The Browns will be forced to trade their rights to sign said QB for an unfortunate soul that has already signed their rookie deal. 

How did we get here though? Jimmy Haslam. Jimmy Haslam came to the NFL with dreams of being Jerry Jones and Al Davis combined. He found a serious of fall men to take the blame for his meddling in the draft with Ray Farmer. This wasn't his own bottom though, he'd innovate! He'd find a new way to bring new leadership to the team and be the center of that leadership. The Flying Hillbilly hired career lawyer Sashi Brown to be Executive Vice President, career baseball scout and manager Paul DePodesta of Moneyball fame as Chief Strategy Officer, and hotshot coaching prospect Hue Jackson. After an initial well deserved mocking Colts mid-level scout under Greg Grigson Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry was hired adding to the collection of people who had no hierarchy amongst them. They all reported to one man, Jimmy Haslam.

With Sashi Brown gone Jimmy's meddling still remains unchecked. Yes he hired John Dorsey and Dorsey was told there were 3 people he couldn't touch and that those men would report only to Haslam: Andrew Berry, Hue Jackson, and Paul DePodesta. John Dorsey is a lame duck to cater to the delusions of Jimmy Haslam.

The end of the NFL isn't protesting it's Jimmy Haslam. It's arrogant old men that have no idea how to fix their problems, and refuse to understand that they are the problem. Old men that refuse to get out of their own way for long term success. No they are wealthy, they are owners and they know best despite failure barring down upon them.