On the Passing of Art Modell

When I was 14 my family and I watched the Browns beat the Colts 27-0 to win the NFL championship. Dr. Frank Ryan was at quarterback; Paul Warfield and Gary Collins at receiver; Ernie Green at running back; Leroy Kelly was running back kickoffs and punts; on the offensive line were Dick Schafrath, John Wooten, and Gene Hickerson; on defense, Galen Fiss, Jim Houston, Vince Costello, Jim Kanicki, Dick Modzelewski, Bill Glass, Bob Gain, and Paul Wiggin played on the line and at linebacker; from his cornerback position Bernie Parrish directed the aggressive play of the defensive backs; Lou Groza was still kicking, as he had since the end of World War II; and we had the incomparable Jimmy  Brown.

Art Modell owned that team and he owned the town.