Returning to the glory days

Returning to the glory days

The first thing a new owner of an NFL franchise needs is about a billion dollars. The second thing is a passion for winning.

The newest owner of the Cleveland Browns, seems to have both.

The family of Jimmy Haslam III amassed its fortune in the truck-stop business, and when he was introduced Friday as the new owner of the Browns he talked about the football team being another successful family enterprise.

The Mahoning Valley knows something about successful families running football teams. We’ve seen it with the family of Edward J. DeBartolo’s operation of the San Francisco 49ers. And we’ve seen it with the Art Rooney family’s reign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If the Haslam family brings the same commitment to the Cleveland Browns, no one here is going to complain.

It would obviously be great news for Cleveland, but also for the Mahoning Valley, which in recent years seems to be about equally divided between Browns and Steelers fans.

The Browns have had difficultly rebuilding since Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore, and the fervor that drove the Browns-Steelers rivalry here has slipped.

A rivalry needs two great competitors, and Haslam seems intent on restoring greatness to the Browns.

It’s not going to be quick, easy or cheap, but Haslam seems to know that.