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The Jimmy Haslam Thread

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MalTalm

Formerly known as Talm
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I didn't see this posted anywhere, but Haslam is heading back to Pilot J and turning the running of the franchise over to Banner.

By Tony Grossi

Extra Points …

On second thought: Jimmy Haslam’s first audible as Browns owner probably affects his family business more than his football business.

It is a seismic story in Tennessee business circles and likely leaves the Browns more firmly in the hands of Joe Banner.

Haslam has decided to reassume his former role as CEO of Pilot Flying J – five months after stepping down to devote more time to the Browns.

John Compton, the man Haslam personally recruited from PepsiCo to be CEO, will take a new role as strategic advisor to Pilot Flying J, the Haslam family and the Browns.

In an interview with Knoxvillebiz.com, Haslam said the move was “not about John … This is about me realizing my first love is running Pilot Flying J and wanting to return to that job.”

The business news Website termed the news “a remarkable turn of events” because Compton was in line to be PepsiCo’s CEO when he answered Haslam’s call and left the company in September after 29 years.

In a statement released by Pilot, Haslam said, “We have had the good fortune of working with John over the past five months at Pilot Flying J. During this same period, we have completed the acquisition of the Cleveland Browns and Pilot Logistic Services (formerly known as Maxum Petroleum). We have had meaningful changes in both of these organizations, hiring Joe Banner as CEO of the Browns and promoting David Hughes to President of Pilot Flying Logistic Services.

“We think it makes sense to leverage John’s skills across not only Pilot Flying J, but also the other businesses in which our family operates. Accordingly, we have asked John to become a Strategic Advisor across all of our core businesses. John brings and excellent skill set in marketing, operating excellence and strategic thinking. These are skills that would benefit all of our businesses, not just Pilot Flying J.”

What does it mean to the Browns?: The short answer, provided by team spokesman Neil Gulkis, is it “will have no impact on the operations of the Cleveland Browns nor will it affect Jimmy’s involvement with the team.”

Gulkis went on to write in an email, “John (Compton) has a strong expertise in branding and marketing, and if there is ever an opportunity we can pick his brain on something we will, but his role with the Browns will be strictly as an advisor.”

Since Haslam and Banner took over the organization in October, they have completely reorganized the business operations, which was Banner’s expertise in his previous career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Browns added Alec Scheiner as president, Brent Stehlik as chief revenue officer and Sashi Brown as chief legal counsel. They announced a lucrative rights deal to rename Browns Stadium as FirstEnergy Stadium.

They shifted former executive VP Bryan Wiedmeier to a role involving long-term strategic planning and former executive Fred Nance to senior advisor and special counsel.

All of these moves were business-oriented. Perhaps Haslam felt there was no reason to lord over Browns business operations after signing up some of the brightest minds in the sports industry.

And the team?: But the business of the Cleveland Browns is football and in that regard Haslam has put all his faith and trust in Banner.

Haslam entered the picture as a potential Jerry Jones-type owner – so hands-on that he might give himself the title of general manager or something football-related. That obviously will not be the case.

The question is whether he leans more to being an absentee owner along the lines of Randy Lerner. The lasting impression of the last installment of the Haslam-produced Travel Channel series was a scene involving Haslam and Banner in an office. Haslam was asking Banner how much Haslam needed to be in Berea in the months of February, March and April.

Those just happen to be the most active months of the NFL transaction season.

It’s safe to assume now that Haslam will be in Knoxville, Tenn., or on the road making surprise visits to any of the hundreds of Pilot Flying J truck stops throughout the country.

And the football fortunes of the Browns will be left in the hands of Banner; Mike Lombardi, VP of player personnel; and coach Rob Chudzinski.

http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=12491
 
fantastic. maybe we can change the name of the team to the sonics and sell them to seattle, and hope the NFL gives cleveland another expansion franchise.

i have a horrible feeling banner is about to run this team into the ground.... even more so
 
It's already been stated that this will not affect how the Browns organization is run & Haslam will still have a prominent role both in the organization and in the city.
 
Whoever is hating on Banner,

I have heard only good things about him in interviews with NFL media/personnel and people who have worked with him before. They all say he's one of the best at what he does and the extraordinary hate he gets from people here is highly undeserved.
 
I hope this isn't another Lerner-Holmgrumd owner via absentia dynamic we have going on here.
 
Whoever is hating on Banner,

I have heard only good things about him in interviews with NFL media/personnel and people who have worked with him before. They all say he's one of the best at what he does and the extraordinary hate he gets from people here is highly undeserved.
Philly fans said that he is great with money, but never let him have control of personal decisions.
 
I hope this isn't another Lerner-Holmgrumd owner via absentia dynamic we have going on here.

Just because he has gone back to running his own business doesn't mean that he is going to be an absentee owner.

Has he even moved back to Tennessee?

I heard some sports talk radio today, God help me, and I can already say that the a mountain is certainly being made out of a molehill here.
 
Scott Petrak ct‏@ScottPetrak

#Browns owner Jimmy Haslam returns to role as CEO of Pilot Flying J. Role/presence with team not expected to change.

AP_NFL‏@AP_NFL

#Browns owner Jimmy Haslam returns as CEO with Pilot Flying J, won't impact role with #NFL team http://apne.ws/XCDlaj (@twithersAP)

Mary Kay Cabot‏@MaryKayCabot

#Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis on Haslam returning as CEO of Pilot Flying J: "It's not going to affect his involvement withthe team....''

Daryl Ruiter‏@RuiterWrongFAN

1/2 Those freaking over Haslam returning to Pilot Flying J relax; Haslam will remain involved in #Browns & NE Ohio (cont..)

2/2 Haslam was named last week to the Cleveland Clinic board of directors, also is an honorary chair for local Boys & Girls club

People need to chill out. The guy is smart, he's not going to invest $1 Billion in a franchise & become an absentee owner. All indications are he'll still have a house in Cleveland & still be just as involved as he planned to be.
 
People need to chill out. The guy is smart, he's not going to invest $1 Billion in a franchise & become an absentee owner. All indications are he'll still have a house in Cleveland & still be just as involved as he planned to be.

I won't be chilling out until there is a sustained winner on the field.
 
Considering they've probably hired all of their coaches and FO personnel, what else is there for him to do that needs his full attention? This is no big deal.
 
People need to chill out. The guy is smart, he's not going to invest $1 Billion in a franchise & become an absentee owner. All indications are he'll still have a house in Cleveland & still be just as involved as he planned to be.

We'll have to see how it goes. He might stay heavily involved, he may not. No matter what he or anyone else says, him moving back to Pilot J will mean significant time/energy/thought will be diverted from the Browns.

Doesn't mean he can't handle both or that it will go bad, but it's big news for the organization. And a curious one, given how quickly he went back....
 
flying J hired away the CEO in waiting at pepsi to take Haslam's place and now Haslam is going back basically forcing the guy out. there is something else going on here that isnt being reported. Could be on teh browns side, could be flying J side, but either way it should not be viewed in a positive light
 
Yeah, I think it's pretty shitty he barges back in and takes the job he left to someone else.

Especially since the guy he left it to is a Pepsi guy. You don't fuck with the PepsiGang.
 
Whoever is hating on Banner,

I have heard only good things about him in interviews with NFL media/personnel and people who have worked with him before. They all say he's one of the best at what he does and the extraordinary hate he gets from people here is highly undeserved.

Apparently he is bad at running teams cause he has a strange face :dunno:

flying J hired away the CEO in waiting at pepsi to take Haslam's place and now Haslam is going back basically forcing the guy out. there is something else going on here that isnt being reported. Could be on teh browns side, could be flying J side, but either way it should not be viewed in a positive light

I would imagine it's Flying J side, I can't see anything from the Browns side that would force him to spend more time with Flying J, likely the guy they hired wasn't as awesome as they expected or had some health problems or something.

Hell it could be as simple as he realized owning a team is pretty damn boring after he hired everyone and wants to get back to work.
 

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