Sports Illustrated’s Peter King Takes Jimmy Haslam To Task For Cleveland Browns’ Dysfunction

Dec 20, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam watches pre game warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam watches pre game warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 20, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam watches pre game warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam watches pre game warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Legendary football writer Peter King used his Monday Morning Quarterback column to hold Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam for what he’s done to the team since taking ownership in 2012.

No need to re-hash the hash. Browns fans are well aware of what Jimmy Haslam’s done since buying the franchise from Randy Lerner for a $1 billion.

Firings and front-office blowups are commonplace under Haslam, and Sports Illustrated’s Peter King highlighted each blunder that’s taken place under Haslam’s watch. The legendary football writer then grilled Haslam by posting past quotes from the owner, that make Haslam look like a buffoon today.

Remember this gem?

“We’re not going to blow things up, okay? We are not going to do that. I think we have the right people in place to over a period of time be successful. I feel good that we have the right people in the building now.” Haslam said in August of 2015.

Now Haslam is pleading naivety, as ge seeks to rebuild and re-energize his fan base. However, King’s reporting shows the Browns’ owner hasn’t learned much of anything.

King wrote how Mike Pettine tried twice to get clarification on his job last week. Haslam never gave him answer–but apparently has an interview already set up with former Syracuse and Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone. The owner is set on hiring a coach, before a GM, who will report to an executive VP of football operations that has no experience putting together an NFL roster.

King likes Haslam, and wrote the owner is well liked, while adding he believes Haslam wants to turn the Browns into a winner. So, why have faith in Haslam? King said there’s not much reason to, unless the owner does the following:

More from Factory of Sadness

"“Haslam should do only one thing: Stand in front of his beaten-down fan base and say these words: ‘I—not we—I have abused your trust. And this I vow: The next general manager and the next coach will have a minimum of four years, guaranteed, to turn this team around. Those four years will happen with me standing on the outside, without interfering unless asked by them for assistance. Players and fans should know they need to get behind these two men and whomever they pick to play and coach the team, because they’ll be here through the end of the 2019 season. Guaranteed.'”"

Fortunately for Haslam, he owns the team. If he messes up this time around, he’ll just try again. But this time around, he’s feeling the pressure. Making the Browns profitable is something clearly important to the truck-stop station mogul.

However, as the losses pile up, the fan base will become more apathetic than it already is. And things are bad. Just look at the pictures of the stadium prior to kickoff during the team’s season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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The Browns will always have legions of fans, but the number of people supporting Haslam dwindles by the second.