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Why can’t a Russian billionaire buy the Browns?
Saw a story on ESPN.com today about Russia’s richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov, making a takeover bid for the NBA’s New Jersey Nets.
The headline I would have preferred to see:
“Russia’s richest man makes takeover bid for the Cleveland Browns.”
Their current billionaire owner, Randy Lerner, has to be at wit’s end after an 0-2 start that has seen his team score one touchdown and collapse in the second half of both games.
Too bad the team doesn’t seem to be for sale.
On a Monday radio show in Cleveland, iconic former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar referred to Sunday’s 27-6 loss in Denver as “crushingly embarrassing.”
Pretty much sums it up.
So how about a hostile takeover by this Russian guy, a former nickel mining baron. Guess it’s impossible, given the Lerner family’s majority ownership, but a fan can dream, right?
Might not make any difference in the record, but it could be entertaining. Can’t imagine a Russian nickel mining baron hiding from the spotlight the way Lerner does. Heck, he might actually allow cameras at a press conference. And he might even be there.
And the guy’s worth an estimated $9.5 billion, which would come in handy in free agency, especially if there’s an uncapped year in the NFL’s future, as many are predicting.
Maybe it’s time for Browns fans to start a letter-writing campaign. Dear Russian billionaire …
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Comments
By grandoug
October 8, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this
Do we dare dream?