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Cleveland Browns: Jimmy Haslam is Johnny Manziel

By Peter Smith

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Owner Jimmy Haslam and second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel both embody some of the negatives at the core of the Cleveland Browns organization.

Until the Cleveland Browns decide winning is their top priority, they will continue to be the team that showed up to get obliterated to the tune of 37-3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, securing the worst record in the league, in front of a smattering of fans at home.  This is epitomized by owner Jimmy Haslam as well as his handpicked quarterback, Johnny Manziel. Both serve to represent why this team is the worst organization in the NFL and one of the worst in professional sports.

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Ever since buying the organization and winning the opening press conference, Haslam’s tenure has been a downward spiral just seeing how bad this team can get and how much fans are willing to suffer. Despite saying all the right things and making fans feel like he was the answer to their prayers, Haslam has done nothing but embarrass the team on and off the field.

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In that sense, Haslam and Manziel are incredibly similar. Haslam was a lot of hype being a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and approved by Roger Goodell. Surely, he would have learned from his time with the Rooneys and everything they do to be such a stable, successful organization. The Browns had plucked an owner from the best tree possible.

After winning the Heisman trophy and leading to Texas A&M to impressive results after the school had just entered the SEC, he was drafted by the Browns and immediately had the city buzzing. The story of him texting the team to come pick him and everything else had many fans and media believing he was the answer. He would take the league by storm just like Haslam.

Unfortunately, both Manziel and Haslam came with baggage. In Haslam’s case, that came in the form of a federal indictment for fraud connected with his company, Pilot Flying J. For Manziel, it was in the form of substance abuse issues and the desire to be a celebrity.

Both situations were evident had those who picked them done the requisite research to find them out, but for whatever reason, did not. The results have been embarrassing for a city and fanbase that deserves better.

Neither Haslam nor Manziel are entirely focused on winning. Rather, they are focused on themselves first and foremost and if they can do that and win, then great. Ego and each having their own brands of fun take precedence over everything that is involved with what should be primary focus – bettering the team.

After taking control of the team and getting Joe Banner out of his way, Haslam leaned on Ray Farmer to pick the quarterback he wanted, Johnny Manziel. He disregarded the advice of his scouting department, head coach and offensive coordinator, deciding he wanted his toy, the quarterbacking version of himself.

Immediately after picking Manziel, he and his top business executive, Alec Scheiner, set to capitalize on their quarterback from a monetary standpoint. Immediately, they jumped into the media circus and talked about moving training camp so they could sell tickets and jerseys. The focus was not on how best they could support and develop the young signal caller. Haslam wanted to show off his new toy and by extension, himself.

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Manziel’s focus upon entering the NFL was having fun, which ultimately took control of his life. He proved utterly useless in his rookie year, putting the team in any number of compromising positions, ending with him checking himself into rehab.

A year later, Manziel is making improvements on the field and doing a substantially better job in the complex, but his priorities are still on himself first. Yes, Manziel wanted to be a good quarterback, but simply refused to do it without having his particular brand of fun. Again, the team was embarrassed on multiple occasions and Manziel cost himself an enormous opportunity.

Rather than making the case for why the team should believe in him as the answer to their quarterback situation, he had to watch the past two games from the sideline. This also put Pettine in position to be criticized as he tries to emphasize why winning should be the most important goal.

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 30-9. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Haslam, like Manziel, always says the right thing after doing something wrong, like he did after firing Rob Chudzinski, after a year, but nothing seems to change. Manziel, was ultimately benched for lying to the team about what he was doing, but Haslam, in a press conference, told a bald-faced lie when he claimed he was unaware of Manziel’s off-field issues coming out of college.

Manziel has been called by many the “Eddie Haskell” of the NFL, because he thinks he can do anything and talk his way out of it. To this point, Haslam has been no different. He talks a good game, but when it gets right down to it, nothing truly changes. They just keep trying to roll out the same routine, expecting different results.

The last issue is the most troubling, as it relates to Manziel and Haslam. The fact is they are both insulated from failure. Neither of them need to be successful here. Haslam can fail, blame it on other people and still make money hand over first as the owner of an NFL franchise. Manziel can fail out of the league, blame it on partying or substance abuse and never have to concern himself with money worries, since he didn’t need a dime when he entered the league in the first place.

Instead of having a team focused on wins, the President of Business Operations may be the most powerful man in Berea. His focus is, as one would expect, money. In August, Haslam promised he would not blow up this regime of Farmer and Pettine this year, and the day is quickly approaching when he will have to go back on that statement, firing one or both of them. The flaw with blowing up the organization is if Scheiner is still here working in the same capacity, the underlying problem remains. Winning still takes a backseat.

Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam talks with fans before the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Manziel has been able to flash his talent, seemingly getting better by the week this year. Unfortunately, he is not totally invested in winning in a business where the best of the best are obsessed with it. If he can make that decision, decide to grow up and put all of his energy into being a great quarterback and winning, the Browns may have their answer at a position that has dogged them since Tim Couch.

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Similarly, Haslam could, perhaps, be a good owner that is willing to spend money and put the right people in place if he decides winning is his ultimate goal. If he does that and structures the organization in a manner  that creates an environment that wants to succeed on the field, the Browns could be a far more attractive destination for talent evaluators and coaches alike.

Until that happens, the Browns will continue to be in the league basement and a collective joke in a league designed to make teams finish around .500. There is no question that Manziel has to grow up if he wants to be a great NFL quarterback, but so does Jimmy Haslam if he wants to be a great NFL owner. Currently, Haslam’s inability to grow up feeds into Manziel’s, as well as the Browns organization as a whole.

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