Cleveland Browns Owner In Trouble with The FBI

While the NFL is preparing for next week's draft, a cloud is hanging over the city of Cleveland.

Stories have surfaced this week that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is being investigated by the FBI for fraud.

Haslam, who owns Pilot Flying J, is accused of being fraudulent in their business transactions. Not good.

NFL officials, of course, aren't pleased with what's going on and are keeping a close eye on the situation. (No word yet as to why the league office isn't pleased, ie- does the FBI really think it can supersede Commissioner Goodell's authority? Doesn't it realize this is the N-F-freaking-L? Damn that judicial appeals panel! Look what it started!)

“This is worse than a dark cloud.  This is a funnel cloud,” a source said, obviously being diplomatic to the outside world.

Haslam, meanwhile, alludes that this is different that the sort of collusion NFL owners have routinely foisted on players in the pas and gotten away with it:

“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,” Haslam.

Wow! Am I the only one who feels for the people of the city of Cleveland? Haven't they been through enough? Think Elway and The Drive, Renteria and The Hit in the bottom of the 11th to win the '97 World Series, Lebron and The Decision, Art Model moving the Browns and winning two Super Bowls in Baltimore! (And since you're down there forever, Art, say hi to Saddam for us!)

And now, this.

Of course for this sports town, it's just a normal day.