Class Action Lawsuits: 7 Browns Ownership: 0

In what may be a foreshadowing of the upcoming Browns season, there are now 7 class action lawsuits against the Browns Owner, Jim Haslam and to date the best Haslam has come up with to manage the situation is a bit of a Hail Mary.   It appears that Haslam's opponents (formerly known as his customers) are piling on class action lawsuits against Pilot Flying J.   Haslam may be mired in legal issues for years, which will leave the dream team of Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi to manage the Browns......

Browns draft grade

Haslam legal troubles

Great article by the Nashville Scene on Haslam.
Bottom line is that Haslam had to know about the rebate fraud in his company.

A key snippet below:

Mike Lombardi

In 2007, when the Raiders drafted JaMarcus Russell, Mike Lombardi was the Raiders top executive in charge of player personnel. Russell is commonly viewed as the worst draft pick in NFL history. Over time Lombardi has managed to spread the story that he really wasn't in charge of that draft. Al Davis made the pick of Russell.

Earlier this week when the Browns picked DE Barkevious Mingo with their first round pick, it was hard not to recall that the last time Lombardi picked a LB in round 1 he was employed as Director of Personnel for our Browns and picked Craig Powell.  When I pointed that out several fans answered that Belichick, not Lombardi, was pulling the strings in that draft. 

It's simply not true that Lombardi was not involved in numerous failed draft picks but you do have to take your hat off to Mike Lombardi for his incredible ability to manipulate the media and revise history when it suits him. 

Most pundits have Browns fighting for top draft pick in 2014

In other words, experts are lining up to say that the Browns may well be the worst team in the NFL next year.

We have somehow gone from being in the forth year of Mike Holmgren's five year plan, to being in year one of Joe Banner's five year plan.   More losing is on the horizon.

Pilot Flying J targeted Hispanics.

More fun from the Pilot Flying J affidavit.

Judgement day - Brandon Weeden

There is been a lot of speculation among fans, about Brandon Weeden's future in Cleveland.  Today we will find out what Cleveland really thinks about their quarterback.  With his legal problems, Jimmy Haslam will be under pressure to win immediately in Cleveland. If the Browns don't believe in Brandon Weeden, today they surely will draft a quarterback. If they do believe in Weeden, they will wait.

From the affidavit - Pilot Flying J internal conversations

The below conversation was secretly recorded by the FBI during their investigation of Pilot Flying J.  The conversation can be found on the the FBI affidavit about the Pilot Flying J matter.

Note how leadership in Pilot Flying J take advantage of their customers, note the lack of respect towards customers and note the use of off color language. 

Browns lousy ticket holder support

As a Browns season ticket holder I've found that if I have a question for the Cleveland Browns support staff that involves generating revenue for the team, question are answered immediately. If however I have a complaint, it's as if I don't exist.  

I'm in my second season as a ticket holder so except for about 4 months, Jimmy Haslam has owned the team during the time I've held season tickets. I have to ask the question now that I see how Pilot Flying J is run, if the Browns focus on cash and their lack of focus on customer services is a result of poor leadership or worse, organizational philosophy.

Browns season ticket holders invited to cruise ship event

Comparing Haslam's statements on Tuesday vs Thursday

I believe Jimmy Haslam was completely shocked when he got his hands on the FBI affidavit and discovered that the Feds possess numerous recorded conversations AND cooperating witnesses INSIDE Pilot Flying J.   He had to have choked when he realized that !!!

His tone changed today in his statement to the press from Tuesday's minimizing and dismissive statements to today's more somber comments.  Here's what Haslam said today Thursday April 18:


“I read the affidavits and I understand more clearly the questions the federal investigators are exploring. 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.
“We will continue to cooperate with the federal investigation and continue our own investigation in these allegations. I value the relationships we have with our customers, our vendors and our team members across this country and regret that they have to go through this with us, but I trust and believe their faith in this company and its principles has never been misplaced.”

Here is what Haslam said Tuesday April 16:

"The FBI secured our headquarters today and informed us they are investigating Pilot Flying J," Haslam said in an email statement to the Knoxville News Sentinel. "We will cooperate appropriately with any and all external investigations and conduct our own. I believe and trust there has been no wrongdoing. The integrity of our company always has been job No. 1."

Looks a bit less sure of himself today, no doubt.

Only in Cleveland, Ohio.... the saga of Jimmy Haslam

The Feds have TONS of evidence, recorded phone calls, insider cooperation, etc....   Pilot Flying J is in big trouble.  I think it's going to be hard to pin much on Haslam based on what I read in the FBI affidavit, and I read  the entire doc.  Haslam kept himself out of the overt fraud talks but the company is going to have their sales force ripped to shreds and customer trust is going to be damaged to the point that the company could be threatened.  And that's not even beginning to talk about the people who may go to jail and the fines that Pilot Flying J will face. 

I know that as a Browns season ticket holder, I wonder how much unethical activity is already starting in the Browns org.  I can't remember who said it but as the saying goes, a corpse rots from the head first.

Stunning affidavit on Pilot Flying J

It's all here folks, the entire affidavit can be found in this article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Stunning evidence that the FBI has collected on Pilot Flying J.  The Feds have recorded phone calls and overwhelming evidence that Pilot Flying J was systematically defrauding customers.

A nice little sliver below:

Only in Cleveland could it happen that our team gets bought by a gazzillionaire who's wealth appears to be built based in large part on a scheme that Don Vito Corleone would be impressed by.