That the Cleveland Browns are 3-9 this season is bad enough for a fan, what might be even more frustrating is that there doesn’t seem to be a singular person to blame.
Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam talk about a “collaborative” effort in running the Browns. Apparently, the decision makers would be the owners, we think their son-in-law, J. W. Johnson is in the group, along with GM Andrew Berry, Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta, and coach Kevin Stefanski.
Is this a good way to run a football operation or any sports franchise? We would think it isn’t.
We are sure there are many people who are asked for input with both the Guardians and Cavaliers’ organizations, but we know who the final decision is made by. For the baseball team, it is team president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff. And with the Cavs, it is president of basketball operations Koby Altman.
If things aren’t going well, they are the people fans and media alike can point the finger at. And at least in the Guardians’ case, when the team isn’t playing well or questions need to be answered, Antonetti faces the media and provides answers.
And although Altman doesn’t conduct a lot of pressers, everyone in the basketball world understands he and GM Mike Gansey are making the basketball decisions.
In both of these cases, we are sure the ownership is aware of what is going on and gives the final okay, but as owners, that’s the way it should be.
With the Cavaliers, it wasn’t always that way. Dan Gilbert went through coaches and general managers on what seemed to be every other year basis, but since his health issues, the basketball operations are more front and center.
This odd structure for the Browns leads to a lot of questions, particularly earlier this season, when there were questions (and rightly so) about who made the decision to trade for Deshaun Watson and why was he continuing to play?
We still don’t know, and that’s a problem for people wanting a fall guy. Let’s face it, whoever was the person in the organization thumping the loudest for the former Texans’ QB should be fired. It was that bad of a mistake.
Instead, Stefanski has to answer questions as to whether or not he, the coach of the team, can make a decision to bench the player. And although Stefanski says he can, we think even his critics know he’s a smart man, and surely, he cannot think Watson was the best option if the Browns wanted to win.
If you want a laugh, type “bad quotes about committees” into your search browser. There are tons of comments from smart people about how the worst way to make a decision is to form a committee to discuss them.
The best thing the Haslams can learn from the Watson situation is they need to have someone in charge of football operations and let that man make the football decisions, including having the coach and GM report to him.
When John Dorsey supposedly in charge here, the head coach at the time, Hue Jackson, supposedly reported to the owner.
All that does is encourage an “it’s not my fault, it’s his fault” scenario.
The Browns need someone to answer the big picture football related questions. And too often, that role falls in Stefanski’s lap, because he’s the only guy who talks to the media (he tries not to say anything) regularly.
The collaboration method hasn’t worked. Hire someone with a vast knowledge of the game and let all football people report to him. And have his voice and only his voice tell ownership what needs to be done.
The wise man knows what he doesn’t know. And a committee didn’t come up with that quote.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 