The '90's will never be replicated- There was the perfect storm of new Stadium, young exciting team-- and no Cleveland Browns from 96-98. (Cleveland is a football town first, no matter what)
Plus the new regime does a lousy job of marketing- They closed the Mentor Team shop, leaving east-siders (the side of town with the most money) with no place to shop.
Although I do worry about this, I think this is why he has surrounded himself with young 'up-and commers' like Heckert and Shurmer. I believe Randy Lerner realizes he got rid of Ron Wolf too soon. Like others have said, though it is a tough division. The measure of Browns' success wil be the record vs. Steelers, Ravens,a nd Begals (which was 0-6 last year, but some VERY close games.)
Sorry, but that's not what happened. First off, the Cleveland area was doing quite well in the 90's, with an economy that was beginning to diversify after the default (not bankruptcy) and recession of the 70's.
Secondly Art left town with his football team because his top source of revenue --the Indians' lease at the Old Municipal Stadium--dried up with the construction of Jacobs Field. The Browns were offered to be part of the new stadium program, but he would have had to live off of NFL money alone, and he wasn't a good enough businessman to do that.
Sometimes the interns are smarter than the posters.
Plus the new regime does a lousy job of marketing- They closed the Mentor Team shop, leaving east-siders (the side of town with the most money) with no place to shop.
Secondly Art left town with his football team because his top source of revenue --the Indians' lease at the Old Municipal Stadium--dried up with the construction of Jacobs Field. The Browns were offered to be part of the new stadium program, but he would have had to live off of NFL money alone, and he wasn't a good enough businessman to do that.
Sometimes the interns are smarter than the posters.