Who is Randy Lerner?

[Oriadin]

Randy Lerner has just put in a formal bid to buy the football team I support in the UK. Apart from the fact he owns Cleveland Browns and that he is worth around 1.6bn I know nothing about the man.

Can anyone tell me what he's like? What his reputaion is like? I know he inherited the Browns after this father passed away. Just curious as to know what my team are letting themselves in for!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Lerner

I don't know anything about him, but Wiki knows!

[Ryan Pode]

Well the Cleveland Browns are technically two teams. Cleveland Browns-A is was owned by Art Modell and moved to Baltimore in 1996. In 1999, the Cleveland Browns-B owned by Randy Lerner came to be. Since then they have had made the worst personel decisions and had terrible coaching. However, despite overspending on several free-agents throughout the past few seasons the Browns continue to be the doormat of the AFC (the conference they play in).

[Jedi Master Carr]

Originally posted by Ryan Pode
Well the Cleveland Browns are technically two teams. Cleveland Browns-A is was owned by Art Modell and moved to Baltimore in 1996. In 1999, the Cleveland Browns-B owned by Randy Lerner came to be. Since then they have had made the worst personel decisions and had terrible coaching. However, despite overspending on several free-agents throughout the past few seasons the Browns continue to be the doormat of the AFC (the conference they play in).
I would say there is only one Cleveland Brown team. Modell abandonded the city for no reason but Greed. But he let the city keep the name and the records they amassed as the Browns. None of the teams stats carried over to Baltimore. The Ravens are a new team they had no past because of the agreement. As far as the Browns I would say they aren't the doormat of the AFC that belongs to the Texans and I wouldn't even say The Browns are the second worst franchise. The Worst franchise is Detriot, the second is the Texans.

[Ryan Pode]

Modell left because Cleveland would not help pay for new facilities. There buildings had been built in the 60's. While the fans may hate him, he did it very publically and because he could not support the burden. It's not like he was opposed to selling it, because he sold it in 1999.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well he did publically during the season, to me that was awful. He had been better off doing it during the offseason instead oc causing the stink he did during the season. Also I am sick of all this crap about owners doing that to cities. First off where is in written that a city has to pay for a stadium? Why should taxpayers be forced to pay for a stadium? I just think its nuts to expect the city to build one, which is what Modell wanted. He wasn't even willing to do a 50-50 split. Also it is ironic that he went to Baltimore since the Colts did what he did to that city.

[Ryan Pode]

What the Colts did to Baltimore isn't even the same sport as what Modell did to Brown. However, in Baltimore, Steve Biscotti (current owner) fronted money for the stadium and practice facility when he bought part of the team originally (in 2004, he bought the all but 1%).