Do you know how the owner of the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam, made his money?
In 1958, Jim Haslam opened his first gas station, Pilot, in Weber City, Virginia. Throughout the 60's, Jim expanded his regional footprint. In 1981, Pilot rebranded as Pilot Travel Centers, part gas station, part convenience store. As the years went by, Pilot grew and grew, and, in the year 1996, Jim Haslam, at the age of 66, passed the reigns of the company to his son Jimmy. In the year 2010, Pilot bought Flying J and the company is currently the largest "purveyors of diesel fuel in the nation."
Now Jimmy is no longer the owner of Pilot Flying J, he transitioned most of his Family's stake in the company to Berkshire Hathaway starting in 2017. His primary business focus today, is the Cleveland Browns within the Haslam Sports Group umbrella.
But we would be remiss not to mention what happened in the year 2013. A decade ago, the FBI and IRS raided the corporate headquarters of Pilot Flying J and charged the executives with rebate fraud. Owner Jimmy pleaded innocent, he was too detached from the day-to-day operations because he was playing with his new toy, the Cleveland Browns. Pilot Flying J executives went to jail and the company itself was forced to pay restitution and a penalty to the federal government.
Jimmy Haslam did not fall on the sword, he washed his hands of the whole incident and blamed the situation on a few overzealous employees, one of which being the President of his own company. Jimmy Haslam wasn't afraid to admit that he wasn't paying attention. Again, the FBI and IRS also raided the homes of multiple Pilot Flying J executives.
Haslam couldn't throw his employees under the bus fast enough.
Which brings us to today.
As Deshaun Watson sits at home recovering from Achilles Surgery, many in the Cleveland Media want accountability. Who in the Cleveland Browns front office is responsible for:
Now the Browns front office has been suspiciously quiet, so it's time to do some detective work.
In the year 2020, Baker Mayfield was the quarterback of the team and led the Browns to the playoffs. The Browns then gave Baker away when the team traded for the problematic Deshaun Watson.
Let's see who made that decision:
Coach Kevin Stefanski? I am 100% sure that Stefanski did not demand that trade. No first-year NFL coach, actually no NFL coach, has the power to spend $250 million of the owner's money, guaranteed, on any player. That is an executive level decision. How do I know I'm right? If Stefanski was the point man on the trade, (which he wasn't), Jimmy Haslam would have fired, and then blamed him, for wasting the owner's money. Kevin Stefanski has been a good soldier, that's why he's still the coach despite a 2-6 record.
GM Andrew Berry? I am 99% sure that Andrew Berry did the nuts and bolts of the trade, trades are a GM's job, but Andrew Berry was not the idea man behind the trade. How do I know I'm right? If Berry was the point man, Jimmy Haslam would have fired, and then blamed him, for wasting the owner's money. Andrew Berry has been a good soldier, that's why he's still the GM despite a losing record on the field.
Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta? "Moneyball" DePodesta is all about sabermetrics. Deshaun Watson's contract is literally the OPPOSITE of everything that DePodesta's system believes in. You are going to tell me that DePodesta, at age 50, suddenly abandoned all of the analytics that he has ever believed in because he fell in love with DeShaun Watson and overpaid him? That is pure bullshit. The computer teaches you not to fall in love with anyone.
Owner Jimmy Haslam? For whatever reason, he thought that Watson would put the team over the top from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender. Surrounded by "yes men," Haslam swung for the fences, but didn't want to be seen as a meddling owner. Why does Jimmy Haslam want to win so bad? Because he wants a multi-billion-dollar stadium and it's harder to build one when your team is losing. How do I know I'm right? Everyone in that building still has their jobs and each one, to a man, spout cliches like "we win as a team, we lose as a team."
Loyalty in the NFL, or in any business really, is a one-way street.
When you screw up, in an historic fashion, you are fired.
When your boss screws up, in an historic fashion, and you zip your lips and keep working, you get to keep your job. That's why Stefanski, Berry, and DePodesta all still have their jobs.
Not today, not tomorrow, not next year, but one day, Paul DePodesta, when he doesn't work for the Browns anymore, will defend his sabermetrics. He won't want the system he created to be associated with the disaster that the DeShaun Watson Situation has become. Until then, he likes getting paid to live on the beach in San Diego while his job is in Cleveland. Not many professionals enjoy that luxury.
In any business.
Comments