False Start: How the New Browns Were Set Up to Fail

by Terry Pluto

"[A book] NFL fans in general and Browns’ fans in particular will definitely want to read . . . a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at how the new Browns were created and what’s kept them from making the progress everyone expected." — Houston Chronicle“Your team never had a chance.” That’s what Terry Pluto, one of Cleveland’s top sportswriters, realized after taking a hard look at the unhappy beginnings of the new Cleveland Browns franchise. This book chronicles what he backroom deals, big-money power plays, poor decisions, and plain bad luck that have dogged the venerable team ever since Art Modell skipped town in 1995. When the new Cleveland Browns took the field in 1999, it was supposed to be the dawn of a grand new era of football in Cleveland. Instead, it was a rude wakeup call. Legions of loyal fans—once heartsick, abandoned, and disgusted at the loss of their team in 1995—were ready to forgive the past and embrace the future . . . a new owner, a new team, a new stadium. They just wanted their Browns back. But it soon became Browns fans got a bum deal. The NFL had traded one of the most storied teams in football history for a franchise mired in mediocrity.These fans, after owner Art Modell skipped town with their beloved Browns, became the only fans ever to take on the NFL, demand their team back—and win. Yet while they were celebrating the supposed victory that kept “our name, our colors, our team” in Cleveland, fans should have been looking over their shoulders and keeping a close watch on the NFL. There would be few reasons to celebrate in the years to come. How much longer would they have to wait for a return to glory? Pluto sifts through the clues and looks for answers. This is a book the NFL does not want you to read. "One of the best football books I’ve ever laid my eyes on . . . a terrific, easy read and extremely insightful, not only about the true heart of a Browns fan but also on the collapse of an expansion franchise." — ESPN.com

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2004

About the author

Terry Pluto is a sports columnist for the Plain Dealer. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the nations top sports columnist for medium-sized newspapers. He is a nine-time winner of the Ohio Sports Writer of the Year award and has received more than 50 state and local writing awards. In 2005 he was inducted into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. He is the author of 23 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrateds list of the top 100 sports books of all time. He was called Perhaps the best American writer of sports books, by the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He lives with his wife, Roberta, in Akron, Ohio."

Reviews

[Tom Pachuta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pluto writes like a true fan. He expresses the same feelings all Browns fans have. A good read for any Browns fan.

[Matt Stenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was looking for more analysis and information about what went wrong for the Browns during the initial expansion period than was delivered in this book. I have really enjoyed several of Terry’s books and was looking forward to this one. It felt more like it was written by a fan for the fans who wanted justification that the NFL and Modell screwed them. It was all about money and the Browns Fans didn’t deserve being treated that way. And while that night be true, I was expecting more in the way of journalistic evidence and analysis.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice book depicting how the Browns got screwed when Modell took the team to Baltimore and left us with an expansion team. It also dives into just how of an unfair advantage the new Browns had compared to other expansion teams of recent times.

[Adam Nowicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve lived the majority of my life in Ohio, and until 2018 hardly cared about football. And then suddenly I became a Browns fan. I knew the history, generally, that the glory days were in my grandfathers time, and that Cleveland has a curse on it and what not, but I decided to be all in on the Browns. After the 0-16 season, it seemed like the perfect time to jump on board and witness the journey (also my girlfriend is a Steelers fan and I felt it my duty to represent the Brown and Orange).

This book filled in the gaps in a personal way that all the articles I have read never could. We were out of state when the Browns were stolen, I was 4. We returned to Ohio in 1999. The expansion Browns have always been my Browns. And because of this book, I understand exactly how the team was stolen, and later given back in the sad and defective state that we are still trying to recover from.

So overall, a good, niche book for the people who weren’t around when the Browns were pilfered, and don’t understand why Art Modell is a total schmuck. The only reason this gets 3 stars is that it’s very much a time and place book. When this was written all the player names mentioned, I’m sure, were well known to Browns fans. Now, a lot of these names are lost to NFL history (except Tim Couch of course), and the constant stoppage to look up players is kind of tedious. I guess that’s what I get for getting on board so late in life.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a life long Browns fan. Through thick or thin. Unfortunately there has been way more thin than thick. Times have been rough. One of the lowest points though was the move to Baltimore. All felt lost. Things were not the same without a team. I tried to watch other teams, and managed to enjoy the games, but it just wasn’t the same. We had such high hopes for “the new Browns”, but it never materialized. Still we had our team back. The colors, the name, the team. Reading this book brought back all of those feelings. At times it was tough to relive. But it’s our story. Our Browns. Through thick or thin.

[Tyler Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required Reading for any Browns fan or Player

This book makes it pretty clear how the Browns got essentially cheated out of their identity by bottom feeder Art Modell and greedy NFL executives. Sad thinking my teams best days are decades before I was born though.

[Anthony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pluto never makes any kind of argument or explains the purpose of the book. The history of NFL owner meetings and challenges facing the post-expansion Browns were interesting enough, but without any central theme it's just a collection of press clippings.

Terry says things like "in today's NFL, there are more prospects from broken homes than not." The fact that he doesn't bother citing any sources while making this loaded statement is evidence enough of his hackery as a journalist

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a complaining rant than any sort of coherent thought process, "False Start" focuses on the advent of the new Cleveland Browns and how and why they failed. Some good points and ideas, but many seemed lost in the emotion and pain.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This should be a fun read as the NFL season starts up," I say to myself. Then it's a slow and painful realization that I'm reading an 11 year old book about how the Browns can't win and nothing has changed since its was written.

It was enjoyable to remember all the horrible players, inept front office decisions, and specific moments (bottle game anyone?) captured by Pluto.

Here's to another 4-12 season!

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as the Browns were ever so close to making the playoffs this season. Pluto's account of the sad ineptitude of the new Browns made me so grateful for the team we've had to root for this year.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all Terry Pluto's books, an easy and fascinating read for Cleveland sports fans. Really lays out all the factors that combined to make the Browns return to football in 1999 a BIG disappointment to Browns fans everywhere.

[Dr NSCA-CPT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutally honest look at the expansion Browns. Explains in details how they were put at a disadvantage compare to the earlier expansion teams in Jacksonville & Carolina. All Cleveland sports enthusiasts should read this in-depth look at the NFL & the Cleveland Browns by Terry Pluto.

[Srikanth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pluto writes like a sportswriter, which is ok.

Art Modell is not ok.

[Jcrane1095 Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not from Cleveland nor am I a Browns fan but I love reading Pluto's work. Very interesting, great read that I breezed through very quickly!