Mike Holmgren delivered the address before members of the Browns' organization at 100 Alfred Lerner Way in Cleveland, Ohio:
"Madame Aponte, Vice President Wiedmeier, members of the front office, coaching staff, distinguished tailgaters, and fellow Browns fans:
Mr. Lerner declares that from time to time, the President shall give to the owner information about the state of our union. For fifty-four years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they have done so in the midst of games and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.
It’s tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable – that the Browns were always destined to succeed. But when Earnest Byner fumbled and John Elway first drove 98 yards, victory was very much in doubt. When Modell moved the team, the future was anything but certain. These were times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our fan base. And despite all our divisions and disagreements; our hesitations and our fears; Cleveland prevailed because we chose to move forward with our history, our tradition and our team colors as one team, and one Dawg Pound.
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.
One month ago, I took office amid another losing season, a roster rocked by severe recession, a salary cap system on the verge of collapse, and Mr. Lerner deeply in debt on old contracts. Experts from across the NFL spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted – immediately and aggressively. And one month later, the worst of the storm has passed.
But the devastation remains. One in ten Browns players still cannot find the endzone. Many sponsors have shuttered. PSL values have declined. Season ticket holders have been hit especially hard. For those who have to sit in the Family Zone, life has become that much harder.
This recession has also compounded the burdens that Browns fans have been dealing with for decades – the burden of cheering harder and longer for less; of being unable to tailgate long enough to tolerate the cold or the miserable display on the field.
So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I became President. These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in places like Buffalo, Detroit and Oakland. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children – asking why they have to watch this crap, or when their mom or dad will be able to talk to them again on Sundays.
For these fans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad play on the Steelers is rewarded but hard work in Berea isn't; or why Mr. Lerner has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the barking and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.
So we face big and difficult challenges. And what the Browns fans hope – what they deserve – is for all of us to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our beer guts. For while the players who we drafted or signed with us here have different backgrounds, different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that “pays the man”. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give the team a better record.
You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult seasons in our history, they remain busy building muscle and learning plays; starting mini camps and going back to OTAs. They're coaching each other and helping their neighbors. As one woman wrote me, "We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged."
It is because of this spirit – this great decency and great strength – that I have never been more hopeful about the Brown’s future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time the Browns get a front office that matches their decency; a team that embodies their strength.
And tonight, I'd like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.
It begins with our roster.
Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the defense that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to do. And if there's one thing that has unified Eric Mangini and Tom Heckert, it's that we all hated the Hank Poteat bailout. I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.
But when became President, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular – I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the salary cap system, roster cuts might be double what they are today. More season ticket holders would certainly not renew. More PSLs would have surely been lost.
So I supported the last administration's efforts to create more cap space. And when we took the program over, we made it more transparent and accountable. As a result, the scouting department is now stabilized, and we have recovered most of the money we gave to Phil Savage.
To recover the rest, I have proposed a fee on the biggest coach. I know Scott Pioli isn't keen on this idea, but if the Chiefs can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the fans who stayed with Romero is his time of need.
As we stabilized the scouting department, we also took steps to get our front office growing again, creating as many jobs as possible, and helped Kokinis who had become unemployed.
But I realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of backups and practice squad players who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from. That is why depth must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why I am calling for draft scouting tonight.
Now, the true engine of scouting for the NFL will always be Mel Kiper’s business. But Todd McShay can stir the pot to make for hilarious TV segments on Sports Center.
We should start where most new draftees do – on special teams. Special Teams is the one area where we have been successful.
Through sheer grit and determination, some players have developed in the recession and are ready to start. But when you talk to season ticket holders in places like Allentown, Pennsylvania or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though Brady Quinn was starting again, he was mostly throwing to less talented receivers. But quarterback play remains difficult for small market teams across the country.
So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 million of the cap space Mangini created and use some of it to sign Chad Pennington or some other veteran quarterback and give the quarterbacks on this team the mentoring they need to stay afloat. I am also proposing a new contract for Josh Cribbs – one that will go to over two million dollars per season if he continues to play at such a high level. While we're at it, let's also eliminate all players who would not make any other team in this league (looks at Hank Poteat); and provide playing incentives for all players, offense and defense.
Next, we can put Tom Heckert to work today building the defensive of tomorrow. From the Hanford Dixons to the Eric Wrights, our corners have always been built to compete. There's no reason the Steelers or Ravens should have the fastest linebackers, or the Bengals who manufactured more turnovers than we did.
Tomorrow, I'll visit Mobile, Alabama, where college players will soon break the huddle at the Senior Bowl. There are all-star games and combines like that all across this country that will showcase rookies who can improve our roster. We should draft best player available and not based on potential. It's time to finally build a team we can be proud of; that compete for 60 minutes every Sunday, or Monday night, or Thursday Night, and the occasional Saturday. My fellow Browns fans, the state of the union is strong!"
