The Jimmy Haslam Thread

[Jack Brickman]

Well, I'm no expert, but I would say that President Obama would be the new "owner" of the team.

Is it bad that the inept government owning our team would be an upgrade after over a decade of mismanagement?

 

[SoundBreaker]

This is so embarrassing. Status quo, I suppose.

 

[Shakalu M.D.]

If the only evidence the FBI has on Haslam's involvement is based on a former employee's claim Haslam knew because he was allegedly present at meetings where the scam was discussed, it will never stick. The fact that there were code names used to cover up the scam gives Haslam plausible deniability, and he'll certainly have a strong enough legal counsel to ensure the court understands that. It's also telling that, now that the affadavit has been unsealed, Haslam's tone has changed. He's no longer denying any wrongdoing, but instead seems to be preparing for an employee to take the fall. A man this powerful would have had to make some unlikely mistakes if he didn't keep a layer between him and this fraudulent activity. I mentioned it before, but the Murdock's faced similar allegations in England, and managed to walk away unscathed, though their company took a sizable hit.

Of course, if the FBI has been recording conversations between employees and Haslam has found his way onto one of those tapes, it's over. Hard evidence is the only thing which will stick in this case, as far as criminal charges are concerned.

The company is in trouble though.

I doubt it's that simple. The only question is whether or not the informants are telling the truth or if they're just a scorned former employee. If they're telling the truth than I'm sure it will come out or show up in the evidence. Doesn't matter that they were using code words. If they were sitting in a sales meeting and someone used project manwell as a term, you don't think Jimmy would pipe up and ask what that is?

It also seems likely that they got hard evidence before they went in to search the building. They don't make a big move like that just based on the word of an informant.

 

[Sly]

As you would imagine, many, if not all, of the league's owners and other top NFL officials are watching the situation with the FBI's investigation of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's business, Pilot Flying J.

The overall reaction, according to several league officials, is that some owners are "absolutely terrified." Said one NFL source: "More than a few owners are scared to death. The fear is that even if he did nothing wrong, the damage of the investigation alone, and the headlines that come with it, could damage a Browns organization trying to steady itself."

Some officials are saying privately that they haven't been this worried about an owner since former San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. DeBartolo was involved in a corruption case of a former Louisiana governor and as a result of a guilty plea paid a $1 million fine and had two years of probation. He was also punished by the NFL.

That's the kind of concern the league has now with this case. It's getting extremely ugly and extremely serious.

The government alleges that Flying J has engaged in fraud for "many years" according to an affidavit. It's alleged that Haslam's company committed acts of rebate fraud and that Haslam knew. The NFL isn't commenting on the allegations.

Haslam was seen as a steadying force for one of the league's proud teams. That belief could change.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/m...gainst-browns-owner-has-some-in-nfl-terrified

 

[KU_216]

OIC.

 

[CornerThree]

He's toast, the type of allegations that are coming forward will be nearly impossible to deflect. Especially since it seems like there is a high level whistleblower who has fingered Haslam as being knowledgeable of the process.

 

[kriegs]

Someone on Twitter who has been reading the 120 page affidavit...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>"CHS-2: What does Mark and Jimmy say about shit like that? Do they even catch it or do they know? FREEMAN: Fuckin' A. I mean, I called ...</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325057532336934912">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>... Jimmy and told him I got busted at Western Express. CHS-2: What'd he say?FREEMAN: Oh he knew it.CHS-2: Oh did he? ...</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325057652583460865">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>...FREEMAN: Absolutely. I mean, he knew all along that I was cost-plussin' this guy. He knew it all along. Loved it. ...</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325057783722541058">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>... We were makin' $450k a month on him-- CHS-2: Holy shit!FREEMAN: -- why wouldn't he love it?CHS-2: Yeah. ...</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325057911648813056">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>So, according to the VP of Sales at Pilot, Jimmy Haslam definitely knew. And was ok with it.</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325058232399822850">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>CRUTCHMAN: Oh, dear Lord. Jacqui Pearl's got (counting), fifty, fifty-one.CHS-2: Jacqui's got fifty-one?CRUTCHMAN: Yeah. About 50, mmhmm.</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325070854075604993">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>So Bruce Pearl's daughter seems definitely implicated. Run with it, @<a href="https://twitter.com/deadspin">deadspin</a>.</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325071283492618240">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Every single server is going to take them a while to go through. This isn't going to be over soon.</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325074979941122049">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>And the FBI has seized Jimmy Haslam's computer, according to this attachment to the affidavit of items to be taken: <a href="http://t.co/gGH9FSf6DD" title="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/687036-affadavit-attachment.html">documentcloud.org/documents/6870…</a></p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325080119637065730">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>And, again, this is just the affidavit from an FBI agent justifying the reasoning for a search warrant. No telling what they'll find.</p>&mdash; Cari Wade Gervin (@carigervin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carigervin/status/325079090107400193">April 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Not looking good for ol Jimmy....

 

[mofire]

Good god, it's always something with this team.

 

[Soda]

Not good... Next owner will probably move the team.

 

[DonGilbert]

Not good... Next owner will probably move the team.

Don't even say that, my heart literally dropped just thinking about it all over again.

 

[Soda]

Don't even say that, my heart literally dropped just thinking about it all over again.

As did mine... Just when things seem like they're going well.. We got a rich and visible owner and boom.

 

[Phills14]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...y-be-asked-to-step-down-during-investigation/

On Tuesday, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam that it will be “business as usual” for his football team as Haslam deals with an FBI and IRS investigation of the family-owned billion-dollar business he runs.

Browns fans would agree completely.

A franchise that has spent a generation in turmoil now has more of it. According to Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland, the ongoing investigation into alleged fraud committed during the application of customer discounts and rebates could result in Haslam temporarily relinquishing control of the team.

“This is worse than a dark cloud. This is a funnel cloud,” a source with knowledge of the legal system and the inner workings of the NFL told Grossi.

Haslam was attending draft meetings on Thursday when the news broke of the 120-page affidavit that supported the issuance of a search warrant at the Knoxville headquarters of Pilot Flying J.

“I maintain that the foundation of this company is built on its integrity and that any willful wrongdoing by any employee of this company at any time is intolerable,” Haslam said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The league hasn’t commented, but according to Grossi one possibility would be to appoint a family member who falls completely beyond the reach of the Pilot Flying J investigation to oversee the operations of the Browns during the investigation.

It really shouldn’t matter; Haslam has hired Joe Banner to run the team. Banner has hired Mike Lombardi to run the front office. And the Browns have hired Rob Chudzinski to be the coach. The owner, whoever it is, simply needs to get out of the way.

For example, what meaningful input could Haslam possibly provide in draft meetings on Thursday? “I once saw that guy play against UT. He’s pretty fast.”

So it really won’t matter if Haslam doesn’t have his hands at controls he’s not qualified or skilled to operate. Still, the mere existence of the investigation is a body blow to a franchise that has been crippled by poor performance and periodic controversy since the team was resurrected in 1999.

As a a result, plenty of fans likely are pining for the good old days, when the team was run by (as Grossi once accidentally put on Twitter) the world’s most irrelevant billionaire.

Sometimes, it’s good to be regarded as irrelevant. Especially by the federal government.

Back in 1999 Eddie DeBartolo plead guilty to corruption in Louisiana while he was owner of the SF 49ers. The league fined him 1 million dollars and made him give the team to his sister Denise DeBartolo York. The 49ers are to this day owned by the York family. Could you imagine if the team was awarded to a family member?

 

[kriegs]

Oh the irony, but what if Eddie DeBartolo bought the Browns?

 

[Pyro]

And moved them to Youngstown? Fantastic!

 

[Soda]

If anything, Grossi quelled my fear... At least Banner is the CEO, Schneider is there, Lombardi is there with Farmer and there's a coach and players.

This is absolutely awful, but at least those pieces are in place to allow Haslam (or whomever he appoints) just stay behind the curtain in times like these. Problem is, Haslam is butt naked behind a clear curtain...