Despite a questionable history, Cleveland wants Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels booted opportunities in both Denver and Indianapolis due power struggles, and despite that Cleveland fans still want him.

Sometimes it feels like Cleveland is a character in a Lifetime movie. Probably starring Daphne Zuniga. The city’s sports teams (namely two) keep falling back into bad patterns and it’s a constant problem. From the classic, “The Dolans need to spend money”, despite them spending money and fans not coming out anyway, to the flakey LeBron James and his “will he, won’t he” storylines, right down to the Browns always chasing the man who is wrong for them. That’s how it feels watching Browns fans clamor for Josh McDaniels, a man of questionable morals and character.

Right now the poll is 86.8% for and 13.2% for bringing in McDaniels. This isn’t the first time the city was charmed by someone that had a bad reputation.

Need we bring up John Dorsey? A guy who got booted from Kansas City due to his questionable talent scouting? For botching the cap? The guy was treated like royalty when he came to Cleveland. Fans thought for sure that this “genius” was going to save the city. Dorsey did in Cleveland what he did in Kansas City, bring in low morale, integrity lacking players that crippled the team with their inability to be disciplined.

Dorsey isn’t the first time that fans bought the hype of the media too. Arguably the worst signing ever, Mike Lombardi, is still talked about as a “great football mind”. Except he wasn’t. He was terrible. Romeo Crennel flamed out. Mike Holmgren was a massive mistake. Hell, even then-new owner Jimmy Haslem came in with all the love in the world. Then we found out about his price gouging and unethical business practices with his company Pilot Flying J.

The Browns aren’t a lifetime movie of bad decisions, they’re a LIfetime franchise of bad decisions; complete with sequels, spin-offs, and other media. Now they’re doing it again. McDaniels, despite having control problems, despite reneging on Indianapolis because he didn’t like that the GM was going to have GM-powers, despite being caught cheating, despite drafting Tim FRICKING Tebow, Browns fans want him.

Why? Because Tom Brady doesn’t hate him? Because he rode Bill Belichick to success? Bringing in a person with questionable issues like McDaniels, one who needs complete control over everything, is exactly how this team ended up in this mess the last… dozen times.

It’s entirely possible that the third times the charm for McDaniels if he comes in. Bellichick was 0-2 as well as a head coach before landing in New England. That said, McDaniels isn’t Belichick and fans need to start accepting that. If he succeeds, fantastic. That’s a big ‘IF’, however.