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TO STATUE OR NOT TO STATUE . . . THAT IS THE QUESTION
The Cleveland Browns announced that a statue of Jim Brown would be erected outside of FirstEnergy Stadium. This announcement coming around Jim’s 80th birthday. The timetable for completion is sometime during the 2016-2017 season.
While his statistics as a player on the field make him arguably the greatest player to ever wear the Brown and Orange, the myriad of incidents off the field involving violence towards women leaves many people – including yours truly – wondering whether or not the Browns truly thought this through.
A number of people are also of the opinion that nobody should have a statue in front of FirstEnergy Stadium until there’s one of the late great Paul Brown. I happen to be among those with that opinion. I also am of the opinion that Otto Graham, Marion Motley and Bill Willis need to be so honored before Brown because of their chronological order of service to the Browns organization. How soon other players will be so recognized by the organization remains to be seen.
As always, your thoughts on this and any subject are most welcome. You can e-mail me at BillWunkle@att.net or on Twitter by sending your message to @BillWunkle.
Am I going mad, or did the word THINK escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic landmass!
Paul Brown seems a better and less controversial choice IMO as well.
http://cloudassetserver.com/STL/posts/185/sp_04_976x0.jpg
Great post Wunkle. I think that unlike Graham, Motley, and Willis, Brown is the unquestioned best player ever at his position. I’m ok with the statue. I think it’s classy and shows respect to the player he was on the field. And before anyone starts talking about him off the field I’d like to point out that this guy has been a fixture in Berea for decades; if you’re only complaining now because there’s going to be a statue then your priorities are out of whack.
Great post Wunkle. I think that unlike Graham, Motley, and Willis, Brown is the unquestioned best player ever at his position. I’m ok with the statue. I think it’s classy and shows respect to the player he was on the field. And before anyone starts talking about him off the field I’d like to point out that this guy has been a fixture in Berea for decades; if you’re only complaining now because there’s going to be a statue then your priorities are out of whack.
While Brown re-invented the position- Walter Payton is the best to ever play it.
That said – Otto Graham is the best player to ever wear a Browns uniform. Graham should receive the honor prior to Jim Brown. Paul Brown should also be ahead of him.
Overall though – I won’t lose sleep over it. It’s a statue. If they really want to use it to motivate people – commemorate the championships (you know – the 10 in a row we went to) and instill pride. But again – doesn’t matter to me either way – and I agree with Ice on his Brown take.
Freedom!!!
I would be surprised if all those you have named did not wind up with statues outside the stadium, Bill, now that the Browns have made this long overdue decision to celebrate their legends and add a feeling of history to the stadium.
Jim makes a lot of sense as the first statue, simply because he’s essentially our only living legend, and he can be present at the unveiling. That adds a strong connection to the past and the history which we are celebrating, one which would not exist were we to open it up by celebrating Paul Brown. It’s not like Jim has many years left, either, so the window for such a special moment is pretty small.
If there are several statues outside the stadium a decade from now, the order in which they were erected will be irrelevant.
i agree with having a area with statues leading with the main man PB, Otto, Marion and Willis. I think all should be dedicated along with Jim Brown at the same time. I also agree that it would be fitting that Jim Brown participates in this day….so I hope the committee that makes this happen does not waste time.
When the HOF started in Canton and the baseball HOF in Cooperstown, the inaugural group were the very best to play the game up to that time. It would not be awkward to christen multiple statues at once…
Who would be statue worthy later …Lou Groza for sure…Dante Lavelli? Paul Warfield? …Ozzie Newsome??? Leroy Kelly?? Gene Hickerson??
Loved Bobby Mitchell, every kid playing CYO or pee-wees in east Akron wanted #49 jersey.
World Champion 1920 Akron Pros still undefeated!
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