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. Notable Mets fans include celebrities Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Tim Robbins, Paul Auster, Bill O'Reilly and Kevin James (as well as his fictional character, Doug Heffernan). Savage was previously an administrative member for the Baltimore Ravens and the Browns before 1995. Yankee fans tend to be more concentrated in the rest of the city and the remaining parts of the metropolitan area (such as northern New Jersey, Westchester County, and southwest Connecticut), though fans of both clubs are scattered throughout the tri-state area. On January 6, 2005, it was announced that Phil Savage signed on as general manager. Since the team is based in Queens, the Mets have a strong fan base there as well as in Brooklyn, Staten Island and the rest of Long Island. As Super Bowl XXXIX approached, there was much speculation over who would become the new head coach. Their most common nickname is "The Amazins.".

Offensive Coordinator Terry Robiskie was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Met. 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 Mets' mascot is Mr. Palmer was suceeded by former University of Miami coach Butch Davis. This would put the Mets in much the same situation as the Yankees were in 1974-1975 when they played in Shea Stadium while Yankee Stadium was renovated. 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. The plan would be to use the stadium for the 2012 Olympics while the Mets would play at a new Yankee Stadium in The Bronx for the 2012 season.

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. If approved it is to be completed for the 2009 baseball season. In death he would turn over the team to his son, Randy. On June 12, 2005 a plan for a New Mets Stadium in Willets Point, Queens in the parking lot of Shea Stadium was announced. 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. Minaya also hired former Mets and Yankees player and former Yankee 3rd base coach Willie Randolph as the new manager, making him the first black MLB manager in Mets history. 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. Since then, he has helped the Mets recruit stars such as Carlos Beltrán and Pedro Martínez.

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. After the 2004 season, the Mets named former front office man Omar Minaya as their general manager. 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. Philips was credited with building the 2000 World Series team, but also blamed for the demise of the Mets' farm system and the poor play of the acquired players. 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. Mr. 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. These acquisitions were made by then General Manager Steve Philips, who was fired during the 2003 season.

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. Since the 2000 World Series the Mets have struggled significantly on the heels of several poor player acquisitions, including Mo Vaughn, Roberto Alomar, Roger Cedeño and Jeromy Burnitz. 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. This was the first Subway Series since 1956, when the Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in what would be the Dodgers' last appearance before moving to Los Angeles. Team owner Art Modell complained that he wanted a new stadium in the late 1980s. Even though they lost 4 games to 1, they scored only three fewer runs than the Yankees. The AFC Championship games against the Broncos produced some famous moments, including The Drive(1987) and The Fumble(1988). In the 2000 World Series they were defeated in the much-hyped "Subway Series" by their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees.

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. Louis Cardinals to win their fourth ever NL Championship. The 1980 team, known affectionately as the Kardiac Kids lost a heartbreaking AFC Semifinal to the Oakland Raiders. Since 1986, the Mets have made the playoffs three times, in 1988, 1999 and again in 2000 when they defeated the St. 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. Their last run was scored on the infamous ground ball off the bat of Mookie Wilson that trickled through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. While the realignment would greatly benefit the Steelers, the placement of the Browns into the AFC's Central Division would not be as good. With two outs in the tenth inning of game 6, the Mets came back from two runs down to defeat Boston 6-5.

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. However, that Mets team managed to capture only one world championship (1986), defeating the Boston Red Sox in a seven-game World Series that featured one of the most remarkable comebacks in baseball history. 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. Some predicted a new baseball dynasty in the making. 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. During the mid to late 1980s, the Mets fielded one of the strongest teams in baseball featuring fireballing right-handed pitcher Dwight Gooden, lanky power-hitting rightfielder Darryl Strawberry, Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, and slick-fielding first baseman Keith Hernandez. 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. The Mets managed to push the eventual champion Oakland A's to 7 games, but lost in the final contest.

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 ". Despite this, they beat the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS to become the team with the worst regular-season winning percentage ever to play in the World Series. 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. In 1973, the Mets won an extremely weak NL East, finishing only three games above .500. The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1946 under owner Arthur McBride. The subsequent history of the franchise has been very checkered, with brief periods of success alternating with longer periods of struggle and mediocrity. See the Franchise History entry below for full details of the move. Before that, I think you'd have to go back to the Red Sea!".

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). The last miracle I performed was the 1969 Mets. For that reason, official records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. They're too flashy. 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 the movie Oh God!, "God" (George Burns) told John Denver, "I don't do miracles. 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. This rags-to-riches story was regarded as one of history's great turnarounds, giving hope to underdogs and also-rans everywhere.

The Cleveland Browns are a National Football League team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They were helped by a Cy Young Award winning effort by Tom Seaver, the franchise's most successful player. Eric Turner. The Mets ended their first decade on a high note, though, as the 1969 "Miracle Mets", posted not only their first winning season, but their first NL pennant and World Series championship, upsetting the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 1. Vinny Testaverde. Just like the WPA.". Webster Slaughter. They give everybody jobs.

Brian Sipe. Ex-Dodger and Giant pitcher Billy Loes, who was selected by the Mets in the 1961 expansion draft, was credited with this ungrammatic quotation: "The Mets is a good thing. Andre Rison. Washed-up former stars of the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees were offered Mets contracts as an appeal to fans' nostalgia. Michael Dean Perry. Journeyman players like the ironically nicknamed "Marvelous Marv" Throneberry became icons of athletic incompetence. Frank Minnifield. Beloved by New York fans despite their losing ways — or even because of them — the Mets of the early 1960s became famous for their ineptitude.

Eric Metcalf. Throughout major league history only the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134) lost more games in a single season than the 1962 Mets. Clay Matthews. Their futility was exceeded only by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (36-117, .235) and the 1935 Boston Braves (38-115, .248). Kevin Mack. Their .250 winning percentage was the third worst by any team since the beginning of the 20th Century. Bernie Kosar. The Mets began their on-field play in 1962, posting a 40-120 record.

Kelly Holcomb. This name was also easily shortened to "Mets" and enjoyed broad approval among fans and press. Leroy Hoard. Among the finalists were "Bees," "Burros," "Continentals," "Skyscrapers," and "Jets." The Paysons ultimately selected "Metropolitans", a historically significant name used by an earlier New York baseball team from 1883 to 1887. Robert Griffith. The new team required a new name and many were suggested. Bob Golic. Joan Whitney Payson and her husband Charles Shipman Payson became the original owners.

Hanford Dixon. This led to the creation of the New York expansion franchise of the National League in 1961. Tim Couch. One year later, after reaching a deal with the two established major leagues, Shea and the other Continental League organizers abandoned their effort. Ernest Byner. On July 27, 1959, two years after the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants abandoned New York for California, leaving the largest city in the United States without a National League franchise, attorney William Shea announced the formation of a third major baseball league, the Continental League. 76 Lou Groza.
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46 Don Fleming. The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball team based in Flushing, Queens, New York. They are in the Eastern Division of the National League. 45 Ernie Davis. Kingsport Mets
Gulf Coast Mets. 32 Jim Brown. Lucie Mets
Hagerstown Suns
Brooklyn Cyclones. 14 Otto Graham. St.

Gary Baxter. Binghamton Mets. Kellen Winslow Jr. Norfolk Tides. Lee Suggs. National League
. Dennis Northcutt. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball).

William Green. 41 Tom Seaver. Braylon Edwards. 37 Casey Stengel. Trent Dilfer. 14 Gil Hodges. André Davis. 51 Rick Peterson (pitching).

Andra Davis. 55 Tom Nieto (catching). Antonio Bryant. 53 Jerry Manuel (first base). Joe Andruzzi. 54 Rick Down (hitting). Bill Willis. 56 Guy Conti (bullpen pitching).

Paul Warfield. (bench). Ozzie Newsome.   2 Sandy Alomar, Sr. Marion Motley. 50 Manny Acta (third base). Bobby Mitchell. Coaches