Cleveland Browns

After the New England Patriots victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl, Patriots' defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel signed on as the 11th head coach for the Browns and first African American coach in the team's history. The film also received an additional four Oscar nominations:. Savage was previously an administrative member for the Baltimore Ravens and the Browns before 1995. It was the winner of eight Oscars:. On January 6, 2005, it was announced that Phil Savage signed on as general manager. The film later was called "culturally significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. As Super Bowl XXXIX approached, there was much speculation over who would become the new head coach. Its labor theme had echoes of socialist sympathies, and though well enough disguised was a controversial and resonant work of art, at a time when the "red scare" was a prominent aspect in American life.

Offensive Coordinator Terry Robiskie was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Both the Senate of the time, and the fictional mob in the movie being incarnations of an equivalent kind of mob mentality. Despite a 2002 AFC Wild Card qualification, the team saw a dismal record during the next two seasons leading to Butch Davis' resignation in December 2004. The irony of On the Waterfront is that its protagonist's (Terry Malloy's) fight against corruption was an inspired echo of Arthur Miller's own famed fight against the McCarthyist-era Senate, perhaps in an attempt at healing their torn friendship. Palmer was suceeded by former University of Miami coach Butch Davis. Miller's The Crucible, about a heroic New England Puritan who chooses to die rather than make false accusations of witchcraft, is considered a response to Kazan. To date though, the franchise has not lived up to its lofty early expectations, with Palmer being dismissed after the 2000 season and Policy leaving the team in 2003. On the Waterfront, being about a heroic mob informer, is widely considered to be Kazan's answer to his critics.

The team returned with high hopes and expectations, featuring solid ownership, solid general management in the form of former San Francisco 49ers president Carmen Policy, and head coach Chris Palmer. It is seen by many as a jab by Kazan at his former close friend, Arthur Miller, who along with Lillian Hellman was bitterly and openly resentful of Kazan's "betrayal" of film artists to the HUAC as "communists". In death he would turn over the team to his son, Randy. The film deals with social issues which paralleled the emerging organization of labor. Lerner would usher in the team's rebirth in 1999, but would die in October 2002 - four years to the day he was awarded the new Browns franchise. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and stars Marlon Brando. In early 1998 the National Football League began its search for an owner for the reborn Browns, finding one later in the year in Al Lerner, a former limited partner of the original Browns and a friend of Art Modell. On the Waterfront is an American 1954 film about mob violence and corruption among longshoremen, and became a standard of its kind.

Modell would in turn be granted a new franchise for Baltimore, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Browns' history, records, awards and archives would remain in Cleveland, to be given to the new franchise when awarded. Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture - Leonard Bernstein. In early 1996, the National Football League announced that the team would be 'deactivated' for three years, and that a new stadium would be built for a new Cleveland Browns team that would begin play in 1999. Best Supporting Actor - Rod Steiger. Virtually all of the team's sponsors immediately pulled their support, leaving Cleveland Stadium devoid of advertising during the team's final weeks. Modell was forced to resign from the membership (and in many cases, leadership positions) of local civic and charitable organizations, and would literally be forced to leave the city - never to return. Best Supporting Actor - Karl Malden. The announcement was met with unprecedented resistance from Browns fans, with over 100 lawsuits filed by fans, the city of Cleveland, and a host of others. Cobb.

After seeing new stadiums built for other major teams, after years of complaining that a new stadium would be necessary to sustain the viability of the franchise, and despite years of sellouts and profitability, in November 1995, Modell announced he would relocate the Browns to Baltimore, Maryland for 1996. Best Supporting Actor - Lee J. Cleveland City Council offered Modell an indoor stadium that would seat 68,000. Modell was upset that the new stadium would be too small, so he decided to put his own money into renovation of the old Cleveland Stadium. Writing, Story and Screenplay - Budd Schulberg. Team owner Art Modell complained that he wanted a new stadium in the late 1980s. Film Editing - Gene Milford. The AFC Championship games against the Broncos produced some famous moments, including The Drive(1987) and The Fumble(1988). Directing - Elia Kazan.

In 1986, 1987 and 1989 the Browns would come one step short of a Super Bowl appearance, in each case falling to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Boris Kaufman. The 1980 team, known affectionately as the Kardiac Kids lost a heartbreaking AFC Semifinal to the Oakland Raiders. Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Black-and-White - Richard Day. Though the team won division championships in 1971, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989, the team would fail to maintain their past success in winning league championships. Best Supporting Actress - Eva Marie Saint. While the realignment would greatly benefit the Steelers, the placement of the Browns into the AFC's Central Division would not be as good. Best Picture - Sam Spiegel, producer.

The 1970 AFL-NFL merger would see the Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Colts (the original, AAFC Colts were disbanded in 1950, with a new franchise being awarded for 1953) in the new American Football Conference aligned with the 10 teams of the American Football League. Best Actor - Marlon Brando. Despite the change in leagues and what many football fans saw as a graduation to "the big league," the Browns simply resumed their dominant position among pro football teams, appearing in the next six NFL championship games, and capturing three championships during the 1950s. After the 1949 season the AAFC merged with the rival National Football League, with the Browns joining the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts as members of the older circuit. In either event, the Browns were extremely successful in the early part of their existence, dominating the new All-America Football Conference, winning all four of its championships including with a landmark 1948 season in which they went unbeaten and untied - 24 years before the 'first' perfect team, the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Brown was uncomfortable with the idea of having the team named after him, stating publicly that the team was named after boxing champion Joe Louis who was known as the "Brown Bomber ". The team was to be named the Cleveland Panthers, but a semi-pro team was using that name and threatened to sue if the AAFC club used it as well. McBride then named the team after its first head coach, Paul Brown. The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1946 under owner Arthur McBride. See the Franchise History entry below for full details of the move.

Some, however, consider the 1996 Baltimore Ravens and the relocated 1995 Browns as one continuous entity, often using the term The Modell Franchise to denote it (after its long-time owner, Art Modell). For that reason, official records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. In an agreement between the city of Cleveland and the National Football League, the name, colors and history of the Browns were to remain in Cleveland, while the relocated club would technically be a new league franchise, the Baltimore Ravens. In some accounts there may be confusion regarding the team's history due to unusual and unprecedented actions taken following the relocation of the original team to Baltimore, Maryland following the 1995 season.

The Cleveland Browns are a National Football League team based in Cleveland, Ohio. Eric Turner. Vinny Testaverde. Webster Slaughter.

Brian Sipe. Andre Rison. Michael Dean Perry. Frank Minnifield.

Eric Metcalf. Clay Matthews. Kevin Mack. Bernie Kosar.

Kelly Holcomb. Leroy Hoard. Robert Griffith. Bob Golic.

Hanford Dixon. Tim Couch. Ernest Byner. 76 Lou Groza.

46 Don Fleming. 45 Ernie Davis. 32 Jim Brown. 14 Otto Graham.

Gary Baxter. Kellen Winslow Jr. Lee Suggs. Dennis Northcutt.

William Green. Braylon Edwards. Trent Dilfer. André Davis.

Andra Davis. Antonio Bryant. Joe Andruzzi. Bill Willis.

Paul Warfield. Ozzie Newsome. Marion Motley. Bobby Mitchell.

Mike McCormack. Dante Lavelli. Leroy Kelly. Lou Groza.

Otto Graham. Frank Gatski. Len Ford. Joe DeLamielleure.

Paul Brown. Jim Brown.