Dispatch Sports Columnist Says Browns Owner Lerner Should Go

Recently, I halfheartedly suggested that Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini should be given more than half a season as the Browns leader. Mostly because I did not want to see the Browns make a knee jerk reaction and rid themselves of a coach who could possibly be the caliber of a Belichick. Mangini is supposedly a Belichick clone. Although after seeing many of those clones fail in Cleveland and other cities, I think Belichick’s own ability to coach are far superior than his understanding of how to pass on his coaching DNA to others.

After the Browns lost another debacle yesterday to the Chicago Bears, former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason suggested Mangini should be fired.

As The Columbus Dispatch’s Rob Oller points out, I believe the problem goes deeper than that. The one constant throughout the Browns return to the NFL has been the Lerner family. Particularly Randy Lerner who took over the reigns from his father Al Lerner after his death in 2002.

Until Lerner relinquishes control of the team, the Browns will continue to be the Clowns, mugging for the camera in chocolate candy-corn colors that no longer can be taken seriously.

Lerner adores Aston Villa, the English Premier League soccer team he owns, more than he enjoys his NFL football team. The Browns should be no man’s second love.

Lose the British bombshell, Randy, or release the Brownies to someone who will cherish them.

During his school years Clare College in Cambridge, England, Lerner became enthralled with soccer.

I do not dislike soccer. I was excited that Columbus had the first soccer specific stadium in America, I rejoiced when after too many years of frustration the Columbus Crew won the MLS Cup in 2008, and was proud when the American women won the 1999 FIFA World Cup.

Still, I grew up a Browns fan. I couldn’t agree with Oller more. By many accounts Lerner seems to be a good guy, and if so, he should sell the team to someone who views the Cleveland Browns as more than an American version of an English soccer club.

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