Mike Brown (football team owner)

Infobox NFL PlayerCoach


Name=Mike Brown
|ImageWidth=
Color=#FF4F00
DateOfBirth=
Birthplace=
DateOfDeath=
College=Dartmouth '57
Position=Owner, General Manager, and President
Awards=
Honors=
Records=
Record=97 Wins - 180 Losses (.350)
coach=no
coachingyears=1991-"present"
coachingteams=Cincinnati Bengals

Michael "Mike" Brown (born 1937) is the franchise owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, an American football team in the National Football League. He is the son of former Cleveland Browns, Ohio State University and Cincinnati Bengals coach, Paul Brown. Paul Brown was the co-founder of the Bengals. Mike Brown assumed responsibilities as team owner upon his father's death in August 1991. [Paul Brown] He is often cited as one of the worst owners in the history of professional sports. [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/2001/0710/1224543.html]

Criticisms

Brown has been subject to ongoing criticism for the Bengals' performance both on and off the field. Brown is often singled out as unable or unwilling to cope with changes such as free agency, revenue sharing and increased league discipline or, alternately, using them to mask what is perceived as his shortcomings as owner.

Business Saavy

Mike Brown was one of only two opponents to a revenue sharing system approved by NFL owners in 2007 (the other being the Buffalo Bills' Ralph Wilson). Brown referred to it as a "band-aid" solution to making small market teams competitive. [Reiss, Mike. 2007, March 27. Score one for NFL Owners decisively approve a revenue-sharing system. "The Boston Globe", p. D2.] Brown considers the Bengals a small-market team. However, it has been pointed out that the current revenue-sharing plan accounts for much of the Bengals' profit.

Published information has revealed that the Bengals' team ranking in the NFL in direct revenues has dropped from the 1990s. From 1995–1999, the team ranked in the the top ten (see below, Stadium Deal). Forbes recently listed the Cincinnati Bengals' value at $941 million. [Forbes.com, NFL Team Valuations, 2008http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/30/sportsmoney_nfl08_Cincinnati-Bengals_306869.html] This ranked them 21st on the list (they ranked 24th in revenue). It estimated that two-thirds of the Bengals' value was attributable to the NFL's revenue sharing program (rather than to qualities inherent within the Bengals organization). This placed the Bengals in the upper-half of the league in reliance on revenue-sharing. The top three most valuable teams derived less than half or half of their value from revenue-sharing. Critics of Brown suggest this indicates the Bengals receive a good deal from revenue-sharing to prop up the franchise despite lackluster onfield performance and that direct revenue figures show Brown is "neither" business "nor" football saavy.

tadium Deal

In the mid-1990s, Brown stated Riverfront Stadium's small seating capacity and lack of luxury boxes prohibited the Bengals' success. This claim would later be disputed when NFL figures were published in 2001 revealing revenues from 1995–1999.

At an owners’ meeting in 1995, Brown announced that Cincinnati had breached its lease agreement when it was late by one week in paying $167,000 in concession receipts. He threatened to move the team to Baltimore if Cincinnati or Hamilton County would not build a new stadium. [1995, June 25, Bengals set ultimatum, "The Washington Post", p. D05] The leverage of this threat proved successful as Cincinnati’s City Council and the Hamilton County Commissioners opted to fund the new stadium with a proposed county sales tax increase. In March 1996, the sales-tax referendum passed with 61% support. Paul Brown Stadium opened in 2000.

In May 2001, the revenues of NFL teams from 1995 until 1999 were published. [Bruton, Mike. 2001, May 17. League, teams take aim at revenue report. "Philadelphia Inquirer".] Commissioner Todd Portune (a former Cincinnati City Council member, though not a Hamilton County Commissioner at the time the parties executed the lease), filed a lawsuit in federal district court against the NFL, the Bengals and the other 31 NFL teams. Portune felt, among other things, that the published revenues contradicted Brown's 1995 claims of financial distress. The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners eventually was substituted as the plaintiff in the case. [http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/07a0229p-06.pdf (Legal Findings)] Portune remains insistent that the county's lease agreement with the Bengals needs reform. [Citizens For Portune, 2007 Year in Review, http://toddportune.com/index.php?page=display&id=120]

Fans supporting Portune's gesture often cite what they feel is the broken promise that the Bengals would "be more competitive" due to revenues acquired due to the new stadium. [Associated Press, 2000, August 16, Public gets look at new Bengals' stadium.] The Bengals' record since the stadium's opening is 54–76 with only one winning season out of eight. (see below, Team Performance).

Tolerance of Off Field Conduct

Brown may have inherited a willingness to stick with "troubled players" from his father. In 1988, Paul Brown welcomed tailback Stanley Wilson back to the team after two drug suspensions. Wilson relapsed the night before Super Bowl XXIII and his absence adversely affected the Bengals' (losing) efforts in one of the closest Super Bowl games in history.

The Bengals attracted significant attention in 2006 when nine of its players were arrested for various offenses. Many felt the Bengals could have avoided embarrassment (and roster gaps) had its scouting department (see below, Team Performance) had given more weight to the disciplinary records of players before the NFL draft. In particular, Chris Henry and Odell Thurman were each noted to be exceptionally talented but possible disciplinary hazards during their college careers. The team eventually took steps to increase its discipline in light of increased media scrutiny and several "problem players" were cut, including Henry and Thurman.

However, Brown re-signed Henry later in 2008, despite five arrests and Brown's statement earlier in the year that Henry's "conduct could no longer be tolerated." [2008, April 4, Bengals drop Henry after assault charge, conduct 'no longer tolerated' by team, "National Post (Canada)"] Several sportswriters argued this move undermined Bengals coach Marvin Lewis' locker room authority, pointing to Lewis' repeated public statements of increased discipline. Despite Henry's on-field potential, one fan protested by purchasing an electronic billboard along the Cincinnati interstate reading "CHRIS HENRY AGAIN? ARE YOU SERIOUS?" [Kay, Joe. 2008, August 30. Bengals owner has soft spot. Associated Press. http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080830/SPT02/808300426/] The Bengals attracted more attention later in the season by signing running back Cedric Benson, whom the Chicago Bears had waived, in part, due to his off-field activities.

Team Performance

Mike Brown has one of the lowest winning percentages of any owner in the history of professional sports (currently 97–180 (.350) in regular season, 0–1 in the playoffs). Even the team's postseason appearance during his ownership stung Bengals fans: a loss to the hated division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, who went on to win Super Bowl XL. It has been repeatedly stated that the NFL possesses the most parity of any professional American sport and angry Cincinnati fans feel this accentuates the failure of Brown's record. Cincinnati sportswriter Paul Daugherty wrote in September 2008, "In the socialist NFL, it is almost impossible to do what the Bengals have done for 17-plus seasons. It takes a willful arrogance and a willing fan base. The arrogance remains." [Daugherty, Paul. 2008, September 11. Bengals fans bagging it, "Cincinnati Enquirer", ]

All of the criticisms towards Brown are often summarized as an overly autocratic attitude towards the Bengals. Websites such as MikeBrownSucks [http://www.mikebrownsucks.com] and WhoDeyRevolution [http://whodeyrevolution.com] have claimed various manifestos of either desiring that Brown sell the team or at least cede football operations to a qualified general manager, a position which Brown refuses to relent.

Accusations of Overvaluing Loyalty

Brown is known for nepotism, placing relatives and in-laws in key executive positions. For example, daughter Katie Blackburn is the president of the team and her husband Troy is an executive VP. [http://www.bengals.com/team/FrontOffice.asp Bengals Staff Directory] Brown visibly prioritizes his family's connection with the franchise; evident in his refusal to sell corporate naming rights for the stadium that bears his father's name.

He is also criticized for placing loyalty above achievement and rewarding deference regardless of productivity. A notable example is Brown's first hire as head coach, 32 year old David Shula. Brown's reluctance to fire Shula upon repeated losses aided Shula in attaining the dubious distinction of losing fifty games faster than any NFL coach in history (69 games). Bruce Coslet resigned from the head coach position with the Bengals in 2000. Despite his .350 winning percentage in 60 games, Brown had yet to fire him. [Myers, Gary. 2000, October 1. Bruce finally loose, "Daily News (New York)", p. 77.] Current head coach Marvin Lewis is 7-16 in his last 23 games with only one playoff appearance in five seasons. Speculation looms over how much leeway Brown will give Lewis. Sportswriter Joe Kay wrote after the Bengals' 0-5 2008 start, "It takes more than a bad record to get a Bengals coach fired." [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bengals-lewis&prov=ap&type=lgns Coach Lewis says...]

Former Bengals receiver Cris Collinsworth also felt Brown's loyalty played a role in letting Boomer Esiason retire after a surprisingly productive 1997 season. Esiason became a color analyst on ABC's Monday Night Football. Whereas many felt Brown was too cheap to re-sign Esiason, Collinsworth suggested Brown "thought he was doing the right thing by Boomer" and did not want to cost him the MNF job by extending his career. Collinsworth contrasted this loyalty-over-winning attitude to other NFL owners, like the Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones, whom Collinsworth felt "would have flown Boomer down to the Bahamas on his personal jet, offered to kiss his ring and signed him right there." [http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1998/12/26/spt_mb2020.html Just Who is This Mike Brown?]

couting

Brown remains reluctant to increase the size of the Bengals' scouting department despite a history of "draft busts." Brown turned down Mike Ditka's offer of "nine draft picks for one" in the 1999 NFL draft against coach Coslet's advice. Coslet was willing to keep Jeff Blake as starting quarterback and wanted as many draft picks as possible to beef up the defensive and offensive lines. Instead, Brown overruled Coslet based on his scouting information and selected University of Oregon quarterback Akili Smith, who was out of the NFL by 2003. Coslet later regretted that he "didn't insist hard enough" that the Bengals accept the Saints' offer. [Myers, 2000.]

Detractors consider the Smith incident exemplary of Brown's emphasis on the quarterback position to the detriment of developing the team "around" the quarterback. In a 1999 interview, he remarked "If you don't have a productive quarterback, you won't go anywhere...I know it doesn't seem that simple, but it is." [http://web.archive.org/web/20010729064608/www.cincypost.com/bengals/99preview/mike091199.html Reign Atop Mount Bengal] Brown later declared the Bengals' competitive problems over with the acquisition of quarterback Carson Palmer (Palmer is 39-41 as starter).

Brown's hiring of Marvin Lewis in 2003 appeared significant as he reached outside of the Bengals' organization for the first time to hire a head coach. Lewis claimed part of his willingness to take the job was Brown's assurance that the scouting staff would be improved. [Bell, Jarrett. 2003, January 16. Lewis needs to beat bushes to turn over new leaf, "USA Today", p. 6C. ] However, the Bengals still retain the smallest scouting staff in the NFL, which Brown defends (see below, Responses to Criticism).

Player Discontent

The futility of the Bengals on the field has tarnished the franchise's reputation. As such, several players have commented on the "losing atmosphere" within the organization, notably Corey Dillon [Sandler, Jeremy, 2002, 30 December, Losing becomes them: The Bengals' problems are biblical in proportion, but no salvation appears in sight, "National Post (Canada)", p.S2] , Takeo Spikes [Elfin, David. 2002, 18 October, Bungling along; Cincinnati seems content never to contend, "The Washington Times", p. C04] , Jeff Blake [Wright, Ken, 2002, 8 November. No fond Bengal memories for Blake, "The Washington Times", p. C04] and Jon Kitna [Sandler, 2002] . Quarterback Elvis Grbac twice rejected Bengals contract offers and retired instead. [http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/0304/1345281.html Grbac retiring] This is often truncated as Grbac having "rather retired than play for the Cincinnati Bengals."

Critics charge Brown's measures discourage "constructive" criticism to the team and contributes to an attitude of helplessness within the organization. Specifically, Brown's institution of "loyalty clauses" in Bengals' contracts in 2000 attracts derision. This allows the team to deny various bonuses to players depending on the remarks they make about the Bengals. The clause is often dubbed the "Carl Pickens' Clause," as it came off the heels of the wide receiver's comments which led to his departure from the team. Brown renewed Bruce Coslet's contract for the 2000 season despite his 21–36 record with the team. Pickens responded, "I don't understand it. We're trying to win; we're trying to turn this thing around out there. And they bring (Coslet) back. Obviously the players don't call the shots around here." [Quotes of the Week, 2000, January 1, "The Independent (London)", p. 23]

Players such as Dillon, Blake, Spikes and Willie Anderson have claimed to have felt somewhat relieved upon leaving the team due to the stress of repeated losses. Dillon was the player who managed to voice the most discontent in the post-clause days, declaring that he was "sick and tired of this crap, period" [Sandler, 2002] after another losing season. He demanded a trade in 2003 and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.

Frugality

In 1994, agent Leigh Steinberg described Brown as "in a lonely fight for economic rationality in the NFL" and "a Don Quixote-type figure pushing back the forces of salary madness." [Smith, Timothy W., 1994, April 23, FOOTBALL; Wilkinson Theorem Perplexes Bengals, New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E6DB1131F930A15757C0A962958260] Over the years, Brown has proven reluctant to finish free agent signings or trades that might have improved the Bengals' performance. Warren Sapp (in 2004) and Shaun Rogers (in 2008) are notable examples during Lewis' tenure as coach. Each was so close to signing with the Bengals, "done deals" were reported in the media, only for last-minute developments to change the outcome. Sapp accused the Bengals of "playing with the money" on the original deal they offered him, deferring more to incentives. [2004, March 21, Cimini, Rich & Myers, Gary, Sapp rushes to Raiders, "Daily News, New York", p. 74] A trade with the Detroit Lions for Rogers fell through, allowing the defensive tackle to instead go to division rival Cleveland Browns. [Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (2008-02-29), Shaun Rogers trade to Cincinnati falls through; Cleveland next?, Detroit Free Press, .] Marvin Lewis claimed full responsibility for the deals not being completed, although Cincinnati press speculated that Brown's frugality and micromanagement may have played a role in the deals falling through.

Responses to Criticism

Despite vilification in the media and amongst fans, several people have cast Mike Brown sympathetically. After a surprising upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003, Marvin Lewis tearfully awarded the game ball to Brown and told his players "he has put up with so much for you guys." [Shapiro, Leonard, 2003, November 23, Tearing down the Bungle society, "Los Angeles Times", p. D1] Brown recently received praise from Cincinnati Park Board officials for a $250,000 check from the Bengals' organization to help pay for Cincinnati Riverfront Park. [http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/09/29/daily9.html?ana=from_rss Bengals kick in...]

Bengals players-turned-commentators concede critics' points about loyalty but dismiss speculation that Brown is unconcerned with winning. Boomer Esiason, now a CBS analyst, refers to Brown as a "nice man" who is simply over his head running the team. [Shapiro, Leonard, 2002, October 26, Bengals: Amazing 'disgrace,' "The Washington Post", p. D02.] [http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/SPT02/809060356 Now or never?] In 1998 interviews, Cris Collinsworth and Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham also rejected notions that Brown did not care about winning. Collinsworth remarked "I don't think anybody could be suffering more over this than Mike is." [http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1998/12/26/spt_mb2020.html Just Who is...?]

Brown is considered somewhat reclusive although he occasionally grants interviews explaining his rationale behind various decisions. Contrary to accusations that he rigidly controls the organization, Brown once decreed that he was more guilty of the opposite: "We have so many people saying things and eventually you're going to get somebody who says, 'No,' and so you don't go forward." [Sandler, 2002] He insists that he does not need any help with scouting, noting that a high number of Bengals picks remain in the NFL over a long period of time as compared to other teams. He remarked on the team's overall drafting practices, "we seem to do pretty well." [http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6589 Scouting reasons] Former Bengals coach "Tiger" Johnson has argued that Brown is actually among the most prepared of NFL executives despite his lack of success in the owner's chair. [http://web.archive.org/web/20010729064608/www.cincypost.com/bengals/99preview/mike091199.html Reign]

Brown is particularly vociferous in defending his lenience towards "troubled players," describing himself as a "redeemer." [Rhoden, William C., 2008, 24 August, For the Bengals, need trumps resolve, "New York Times", http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/sports/football/25sotrhoden.html?ref=football] He concedes that he wrestles with what he perceives as the league's change from a past "boys will be boys" attitude. [Kay, August 30, 2008]

Defenders of Brown's business saavy point to the frequency of sellouts at Paul Brown Stadium since Brown hired Marvin Lewis as coach. Daugherty and other Cincinnati commentators state this implies that fans are complicit in supporting Brown's efforts. The team website confirmed that the 2008 season has been sold out. [http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=2630 Bengals Sell Out Season]

Additional Sources

* [http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/07a0229p-06.pdf Stadium Deal]
* [http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9572479/2 Player Legal Problems]
*Paul Brown
* [http://www.nfl.com/stats/team Historical statistics of the team]
* [http://bengals.enquirer.com/2000/07/18/ben_loyalty_clause_is.html Mike Brown Editorial]
* [http://www.bengals.com/ Bengals.com]
* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ Pro-football-reference.com]

References