Jimmy Haslam firing Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi isn't Dysfunction, It's the realization of Dysfunction

Since returning in '99, the Browns have been so bad that even when they cut out a couple of cancers like Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi, it's STILL seen as Dysfunction when in reality, it's the realization that there is Dysfunction and they were the source of it.



Mike Lombardi (Left) and Joe Banner were the Cause of the Dysfunction under the Haslam
Ownership. Anyone with common sense should be happy that these two have been
run out of town. Photo courtesy of ESPN Cleveland
Browns Fans kept hearing stories about how bad it was there. I personally heard from friends of mine in the Philadelphia Area nothing but bad things about Banner when he worked for the Eagles. Lombardi was never a popular hire with Browns Fans because of his previous tenure in Cleveland when he worked under Bill Belichick and seen by many Cleveland Area Observers as a Back-Stabbing Snake. It got so bad that there were executives with other teams that simply refused to do business with the Browns and potential Head Coaching Candidates would walk out of meetings because they were disgusted with Banner. It got to the point where Banner and Lombardi turned on each other. After Haslam fired Banner and Lombardi, the NFL Team Executives who wouldn't do business with The Browns came out (Anonymously.) and stated that they will again do business with the Browns now that they are gone.


Ray Farmer has taken over as the new General Manager. Farmer is highly thought of around NFL Circles.


The Following are various articles written about the firing of Banner and Lombardi:

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on having to part ways with Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi: "I underestimated this"



written by Mary Kay Cabot (Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer) on 2/11/2014



Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi ended on bad terms with each other, and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wiped out both written by Mary Kay Cabot on 2/13/2014



Cleveland Browns and NFL Links: Peter King explains why Jimmy Haslam made changes written by Branson Wright


(Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer) on 2/13/2014. Includes a link to the Sports Illustrated "MMQB" Article written by Peter King


Transcript from news conference with new Browns GM Ray Farmer
by Nate Ulrich (Ohio.com/Akron Beacon-Journal) on 2/11/2014



New Cleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer. Let's hope that he is the right man for the job.
Photo courtesy of Ohio.com/Akron Beacon-Journal via AP