Verba, “Browns don’t want to pay me…” “Butch promised…”

Seems to me I read a quote from Ross Verba, “They (the Browns) just don’t want to pay me.” Now I know I played back in the days that we used a real pig for the ball but $2.9 million a year seems like pretty decent pay. I would understand if he were leaving the Browns to get with the Patriots, or Steelers, or Eagles, or Atlanta to improve his chances of winning a World Championship but not because the Browns “don’t want to pay me.” I would say $2.9 million a season is paying you very well. Oh yes, you didn’t win the Championship last year.

Butch Davis made a commitment that he couldn’t keep. Perhaps Butch should own up to Verba out of the $12million Randy Lerner is so generously paying Davis to take a permanent vacation. And, Oh yes, last years won loss record was accomplished without Butch Davis playing a single down.

There is also the slight possibility that if Verba and his offensive line had protected the passer a little better and won more games Butch would still be there to honor his commitments. Butch was “retired” because he made a series of bad decisions.

$465,000 to get free, free at last, free at last, free from being lashed with $2.9 million a year, seems a bit absurd doesn’t it. $465,000, that is about what our entire team got for winning the 1964 NFL World Championship. In our weird little minds we would done it for nothing. Actually I paid to do it giving back half a $90,000 bonus to the Cincinnati Reds just for the privilege of leaving pro-baseball to play with the Browns not because I had to, but because I felt it was the right thing to do. Paul Brown did tell me “You should have kept their money, Kid.” Paul brought me to Cleveland to be on the sideline during a Browns vs Giants game, which was real brawl. When I heard the licks being delivered and a little blood splashing I knew I wanted to in the middle of that. Brilliant thinking, right? By half time I already hated the Giants, long before I signed a Browns contract. I think I signed for $10,000 FOR THE SEASON in order to get at the hated Giants. Although I converted the NFL Players Association into a union from a fraternity (started and controlled by the owners) I still can’t comprehend $2.9 million a season as “not being paid.”

At my age your mind wanders a bit.

It sounds as though the Browns have already signed a couple possible replacements for Verba. I hope they can protect the passer. I wish Mr. Verba well where ever he plays except when he plays against the Browns.